Just a quick update. The pond was full ok 1/1. Here it is 5 weeks later, it's down 13". We've had very little rain. This represents a pretty big slow down in water loss. Just packing some bentonite around the pipe has really helped. I still have the seep that's coming out at the bottom of the dam, but it's very difficult to guess where it originates.

9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023