Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Options for Repairing Existing Dam Breach

Good afternoon,

I have a 2 1/2 acre pond that was built in the 1950s. I have a 16 acre pasture ditched that goes to a shallow canal that wraps around 1/3 of the pond, and it has a drop pipe that, when pulled, allows the pasture's runoff to fill my pond. No trees were allowed to grow on the dam, as long as my Grandfather was alive. He died about 20 years ago, and no one was able to keep the trees off. I now own it, and I am fixing up the place. The pond is the project I am wanting to tackle now.

There was a leak assumed to be from a tree root that began about 5 years ago. I knew it needed to be repaired, but before doing so we got a huge rain that rapidly filled up the pond and the leak became a blowout. There is a breach that is about 3 feet wide, almost as deep as the dam itself, let's say 10 feet.

I am in the process of removing all of the trees and saplings from the dam. I know those have to be removed, and they need to be prevented from coming back. Got that.

I also have at least 50 cubic yards of clay nearby that I am pretty sure was left over from the original construction. That will be a huge help when it is time to repair the dam. The next step I am planning on taking is to use an excavator to cleanly cut the breach. Once this is complete....

My question is this: Would it be a bad idea to build a wall, a "seawall" of sorts within the breach and then pack clay all around and over it? The wall would act like a skeleton for it.

2nd Question: Would it be better to build the wall behind the breach with the sides angled back and tied into the main dam and then filling the breach with my clay?


I have plenty of large, treated bridge timbers already on hand, so I won't have that expense. I'm talking about timbers that are at least 10"x12"x14'. They're solid.


THANK YOU



(If this thread would fit better in another forum like the construction or dam forum, Mods, please move it. Thanks)

That's a pretty good trick. The new soils, sandy loan, really need to be knitted in with the existing soil. It should be done by a dam builder, not a dozer driver. Thankfully, I've never had to do it.