Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Please help with leaking dam suggestions

I have a 5yr old 1/2 acre pond. Ill start by saying I wish I knew then what I know now. Like many others I have found a pond is much more then digging a hole.. The pond was built by a friend that drives heavy eq and has made many ponds in my area. They all hold water, look great. Mine is beautiful. Bass and bluegill stocked, aerators, everything. Here's the issue. My land slopes pretty well downward, so the back wall(dam) is very big. His transit broke and his friend didn't get him another one until the last day we had the dozer rented. The back wall was 2ft low. we either had to build it up, or have a shorter pond. The problem with it being shorter was we already had the deck posts in. The water would not have come up far enough to reach the dock. So he advised me to take my tractor and drag with the box blade clay from the sides of the pond to the top of the back wall and build it up. I did that. I only rolled it with a lawn roller, placed down topsoil and finished. The pond filled up nicely and looked great. Flash forward 5 yrs and I was driving behind the pond wall and there was a big wet spot. I followed it higher and higher. (the pond was also 4" lower then usual, which didn't concern me because we hadn't had rain in 10 days and this is a run-off filled pond) There was a small but constant little stream of water, just under the thatch going up the back wall. I stopped when I got to the top area. It appears as though the pond starts leaking from somewhere where I had dragged the clay over and placed it on top. The top of the pond around the back wall is only 4ft wide because that is all my boxblade is. So you have this huge back wall and then a 2ft tall by 4ft wide addition to the top. Im really surprised it didn't start leaking sooner with all that surface pressure but here I am. So bluntly, options? I was thinking: 1) draining the pond 3ft to the original back wall height(where its massive)2) getting an ex to rip the addition down3) stripping the soil with a dozer from the back of the pond area. 4) taking the clay from behind there and building a new, higher, solid back ball.5) replacing the topsoil?

A friend of mine that has done work on the property had a different idea. He said he would take his ex and 4ft or so from the top of the wall cut a deep trench out. then take new clay and pack it in there in essence making a solid wall. Then take more clay and rebuild the entire back enforcing the little top I have making is 5-6ft wider/stronger. and then pack the whole thing with the ex. He has a pretty big Cat ex. I apologize for the long post, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This is the nicest thing on my property that is now devastating to see leak. 5 yrs of blood sweat and tears, not to mention a significant amount of hard earned money have gone into this. Obviously if I knew then what I know now I would have contracted a pro and paid up front.. Thanks to all.

My first instinct is to say contact the original friend that helped you. Do this before you do anything so he can anaylize where the problem is and give you a second opinion. Give them the opportunity to help you, or at the very least come out and see it to learn from his mistakes. Perhaps the two of you can come up with a workable solution. Once you get anybody else involved, it's too late to go down that road anymore.

FNC, I agree. He is coming over next weekend and is quite capable. He has done many ponds, I have seen them, I just don't think hes ever had this issue. Along with getting his opinion I wanted to have some other ideas to bring up in our "brainstorming/problem solving" conversation. Thanks

I agree with calling the friend as well. I'm not in favor of taking old soils or patching the fix unless it is truly confined to a small area (normally around a drain pipe.

If the budget allows, and if the source of the leak is in that 2' deep add-on section. I'd suggest getting a track loader and vibratory sheepsfoot in. Source good, fresh clay from a borrow pit, drain the pond a few feet (a foot below the projected excavation depth) and re-core about 4' deep, blend in the back slope with the removed core and recover/seed topsoil. Given the pond size, cost and time should not be oppressive and your piece of mind is as priceless as looking out over a full pool!

I agree with Rainman.