Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations leaking pond dam question.

I finaly got my pond damn mowed down. Now I can see where the damn is leaking from. Its leaking at the base of the damn. My question is: Is there anything I can do to the external part of the dam to stop it from leaking?

that can be a tough one okie. i believe there are some folks here who've had success trenching cross-wise the lower portion of outside dam face, and installing a "core" of clay, compacting and bringing back up to grade.

if this doesnt work, the only other solutions i can think of need to be done on either the inside face of dam of the base of the dam itself (obviously w/ no water present).

lets wait to see who else chimes in on this one....great question.

The dam is red clay. The lower face of the dam is very soft. I didn't know if compacting it would help or not. Also its a new pond and filled up very quickly do to all the record rain we have had this year. Could it just need time to seal?

If it leaks now, it probably isn't going to get any better. We have some clients in Moore, and soils up there aren't spectacular. Compacting from the beggining is a very important step in dam construction. How much water are you losin per day, week etc. That could make a difference. Also, if something needs to be done now is the time before you put fish in it. It might be necessary, as scary as it sounds, to drain your pond repack your dam with good clay and let it fill back up.

Chad, I already have fish in my pond so I hope I don't have to drain it. My pond has gone done about 1 1/2 feet in the past month. That includes about 10 days worth of 100 degree temps.

I am in Oklahoma and have a pond that just filled with all the rain. It too is seeping on the low backside of the dam. It was cored very deep with good clay. My dozer man who has built many many ponds for the state soil conservation department told me it is really not that uncommon to have some seepage and many times it will seal themselves as the dam cures and settles. The dam was packed pretty well and he indicated that even as hard as you try the dam ends up with a few root pieces and few small rocks that can allow some seepage. As time goes by he says those will rot, settle, clog, etc.

Curious if anyone has seen this to be the case.

OKIE
Sounds like my dozer guy. He built alot of ponds for the state as well. What part of Oklahoma are you?

I am East of Edmond North of Arcadia. I have a long history with my guy and believe he is being straight with me.
He is out of Guthrie!

It might settle out some, and another important point to remember is that all dams have some type of seepage issues. Since it has gotten a little warmer in August some of your loss is due to evaportation. Maybe not all of it but some of it is. That is the natural way of pond life, they draw down in summer and fill back up during fall and winter rains. If you think you have a problem with seepage you can estimate how much water you are losing due to evaporation and then compare that to how much water you have actually lost that will tell you how much water you are losing. It is not uncommon to lose 1 inch of water every 3-4 days during summer months, jsut due to evaporation.