Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help advice needed for fixing a bad leak

Helo today when I walked down to the pond I noticed a really bad leak. I tried to find it by muddying the water but I couldn't find the leak so now i'm using a siphoning setup to drain my pond. how thick will my clay liner need to be too stop the leak? I would like to drain the pond completely and dig it out a little to do this I need to get my fish out I have some 55 gallon barrels setup with the spring water running through it will this be enough? Will my trout get stressed too the point of dyeing? Thanks

anybody?

I noticed that you had a post about the trout and what to do with them while renovating your pond in another post. Now with your problem, this is kind of a rush decision for you. Cecil is probably the best one to help you with that, as you know. I think he's really busy right now with draining down his pond. You might PM him to get help with the trout.

I believe the average amount of clay for a liner is 18". However your pond isn't nearly as big as normal, so I would guess that you could get by with less. I would go at least 6", but anymore than that is going to be a lot of work to do by hand. Are you thinking of doing the whole inside, or just where it's leaking?

I have an idea of where it's leaking so i'll probably just line it where I think it's leaking.

If you have the clay available, and can get it in place and packed, the thicker the better. Just think about all the work that goes into getting it in place. Now think about all the work that you'd have to do again if it leaked after you filled it.

This is a case where doing it once and doing it right applies. Also a bit of overkill won't hurt a bit. I'd not feel comfortable with less than 18" of clay if I wanted it sealed, and that's also packing it down right and tightly, interweaving the layers of clay. Don't make one pile 18" thick and try to pack it down.

If you just patch that area, you run the risk of having the water go around the patch to leak out the same area.

I don't have an answer for you about the trout. I agree, Cecil's the man.

smallpond, is this the pond you were going to have your buddy come and help dig deeper in the near future? That might change plans in how, when, etc.

I'm using 5 garden hoses to drain the pond


The old spring house is being exposed.


Heres the leak.

What a perfect candidate for a rubber liner! Not too large of a pond, but a fairly narrow dam that may be prone to critter damage. Too bad I am guessing that it isn't really in your budget.

Rocks just don't work with dams or any other parts of ponds.

EPDM liners went way up in price over the past two years. One of the advertisers here, which is right around the corner from my place, is offering 30mil instead of the 45mil, because of the massive price hike.

I definatly can't blow a whole bunch of money into a epdm liner, but I do currently have a water proof billboard tarp in. It only covers the lower section of the dam I covered the edges of the liner in dirt, and my pond has been pretty much leak free until now. Apparently the trout swooped away a lot of the dirt around the edges of my liner causing my dam to leak. I may have pinpointed the leak I will try to patch it tomorrow. We'll see what happens then.

I think I found the leak, and at least slowed it down a little bit. The pond filled up over night which I think is pretty good If the leak starts to get bad again I know where to throw some dirt. I will eventually be putting in a good clay liner but that day is not today. I don't think mom will let me in the house again if I come back looking, and smelling like a pond.

Hey small pond, slight diversion here (off-subject), but with those RR tracks behind your pond, if I'm seeing that correctly in your first picture, I can see why you have the problem with trespassers!

Could you put up some T-Posts with barbed wire on that steep slope? Maybe there's a way around them but it might be a detractor.

And, as others have stated to you already, don't take any chances with them!

Good luck with your pond, I'm fighting leaks as well but mine are big dam beaver holes , hopefully you got yours fixed.

Daggone SMPD, I sure hate this for you. We have been at our farm till today and saw your plight now. Did you have to drain your whole pond? It may be a good time to get your neighbor with the front end loader involved. I don't know about keeping your trout alive but the biggest container you can get would be the best. You are a hard working young man and I hope you are able to solve this problem soon. I wish I knew more so I could be of more assistance but I am confident that you will over come this problem pronto. Wishing the best of luck to you.

I don't think I'm gona put up barbed wire simply because it's expensive, other neighbors have tried it, and the drugies just cut the wire. next week i'll be planting a lot of nasty jager bushes those things will deter anybody. I hope you get your problem fixed too If it was me we'd be having beaver stew

Thanks kenc. I didn't have to drain the whole pond just enough to find the leak.

Did you get it fixed? I sure hope so.

I think so it's not leaking half as bad as it did yesterday. when the pond clears up i'll get it stopped completely.

Cool lil pond you got there. Hope you got it fixed.

Hey Small Pond. Hope you get the problem licked. Just noticed your post. Drums aren't idea for your trout and they will get stressed but if you can flow the water through it may work. Fortunately most trout are used to being reared in close spaces.

How did the work turn out SMPD?

I got the leak slowed down a lot but it's not completely stopped up yet. I may have to drain the whole pond too work on it but that is only if the water starts going out faster than it's coming in. cecil If I do put the trout in barrels I will have the spring water flowing through. do you think I will lose any fish doing it this way

You'll probably be O.K. as long as they can't jump out.

Today when I walked down to the pond I noticed I have a small seep coming out the back of the dam. Do I have to worry about this turning into a big leak? It's not leaking bad right now but I'm worried that it will start leaking more and more over time.

Just saying.............

You know the Grand Canyon? It was supposedly formed by a river eating away at the dirt/rocks under it. Rivers start at a tiny seep somewhere.........