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Joined: Jul 2015
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I live in NE KS in a location with a hilly bluff. I had a pond constructed two years ago by a local excavator. The dam was located on top of an old dam with a dug well at the bottom of it. He filled the well in and placed the backslope of the dam on top of the old well. The dam was about 50' long and 10' tall, the new one is about 150' long and 25' tall. I remember him telling me that he found some loose rock but he can core fill it and it wouldn't be a problem.

Initially we had trouble with it sealing and he came back out to dig, said he found a pipe that was buried within the old dam. I was questioning how this was there if he core filled it, he said he didn't know. Anyway, we let it go last year and it obviously wasn't holding water. I appear to have leaks throughout the dam, all over on the back side. Continuous streams, probably 5-10 GPM or more.

He came back out early this year and said he found some more rock under the old dam, but put all the rocky soil back in the hole and went home. He said he thought it was fixed but it still leaks rapidly. He is no longer taking my phone calls.

Since that time I've had two local contractors come out and look at it. Both told me it was a poor site for a pond, that down the hill would be better due to the rock shelf there. The first told me he didn't want to fix it, the second told me he would but the dam needed reconstructed in a different location because of poor installation practices. He said that it likely wasn't keyed in, and showed me some shale that the installer had hit when he put it in.

He recommended moving it down the hill to the other location mentioned by the other contractor, but we wouldn't be able to see it from the house. He said he could use some clay from another part of the property and put in a clay liner over the whole thing, and also move the dam to a new location about 50' back and reconstruct it, using the material in the current dam only for the spoil on the back side.

Initial construction cost was $14,000, this will be closer to $30k. I need to get my head wrapped around this.

I know I have quality problems with my existing dam. The top has settled so badly that if it did fill up the middle of the dam might be below the spillway. I'm just hesitant to throw good money after bad here. I really like the location by the house, but have been told twice now that the other location is better. I take that to mean cheaper. I have about 50 acres flowing into the 1.5 acre pond.

Any thoughts or ideas here?

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Are agricultural advisory services available from the state or from Kansas State University? You need to pick the brains of an expert. Personally, I wouldn't be afraid of spending $30k but I sure wouldn't want to waste $30k. I think I'd spend the next six months researching options until I was convinced I was following the best path to success.
My first attempt at pond ownership was 1/4 acre dug by a local good old boy with a bulldozer. It leaked. Next was a guy who called himself The Pond Doctor. He enlarged it to 1 acre and dusted it with sodium bentonite. It still leaked. My third and most recent attempt reshaped the inflow and spillway, added depth and plated the pond with 12" of sodium bentonite (280,000 lbs.) covered by 12" dirt compacted using a vibratory pad-foot rollers. I am withholding any declaration that it's fixed once and for all.
Ponds are the best definition of a 'money pit'. However, I think they may be cheaper than teenagers... and more peaceful.
Good luck.

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That is a really good thought. I'll look it up.

My biggest concern is about the fact that both of the two contractors told me it would be better in the other location, but I don't want it in the other location. I want it where it is. I know there are concerns about the rock shelf, the dam, and the shale they hit but it seems if they put a clay liner in those can be addressed, it will just cost money. Right?

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Have you thrown around the thought of lining the pond? With rubber liner.


Water is the basis of all life, by design!
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Yes. I asked the guy yesterday about this and he said he thought it would cost as much as lining it with clay since I have clay on site.

I don't have a bid on this yet. that's one of my questions.

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I would pay heed to what your pond builders are telling you. If they both agreed independently of one another, that a different location is much better suited for a pond, well, that's something to consider.

Not saying you couldn't have a pond exactly where you want it, but sometimes "better" really is better.....and not just from a cheaper standpoint either. You're going to want your pond builder to put a pond somewhere against his/her better judgement, AND guarantee you it will hold water. I understand their hesitation.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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These guys advertise in the Pond Boss magazine so I guess it's OK to mention them here http://www.coloradolining.com/

I agree that you and your wife will enjoy your pond much more if you can see it from your house. A man-made liner may be your best option.

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Big decision ahead for you and yours. Seek another couple opinions from experienced pond builders. If the overwhelming consensus is that you should not continue where it currently sits but move the pond, perhaps heed that advice.

You may not enjoy looking out to a half full pond, a pond overgrown with weeds and vegetation as the water level is such that it promotes growth, etc.

If you have funds available you could almost guarantee the pond of sight you want via a liner, a concrete wall, and a polymer. Just the cost will be huge.

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What county is the pond in?

I would talk to the NRCS guys in your county and get their opinion. After all, you are paying for it via taxes anyway...

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/ks/home/


www.hoosierpondpros.com


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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Hi Estrogen and welcome to the forum! Sorry your introduction isn't under better circumstances. In my opinion, your original contractor owes you some free work to deliver what he promised and you paid for - I'd definitely consider seeking some legal guidance if he's stopped returning your calls.

In terms of leaks, several of us on the forum have used Soilfloc sealant to help reduce or eliminate seeping ponds for a fraction of the cost of a liner or reconstruction. I have worked on a several projects over the past couple months, including one on my own pond, and seen excellent results. For a pond your size, a single application would run around $5k, but that would treat the entire pond, which may not be needed if you can identify specific areas of seepage. Obviously spot treating is exponentially less expensive.

Feel free to PM me if you are interested in learning about the sealant - it may be an option for you. Pond Boss forum members get a discount through me, which is a bonus.


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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I see that I’ve already posted here but my project. I had the pond re-done last year by a pretty knowledgeable guy. They found a gravel seam right through the dam and no clay core. There was a pretty considerable amount of loose rock, a shelf that ran right through the area. I had all the loose rock pulled out and the floor packed in with a roller. Unfortunately I still seem to have a problem. It looks like it’s leaking only through one bag about where the rock shelf was. Any ideas on how to fix this? Unfortunately now my pond builder is not responding to me. It might be because building and construction is going crazy right now.

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Feel free to contact me anytime I’m here to review your options and possible solutions.

Tj@hudlandmgmt.com


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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