Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Leaky dam?

Over the last couple of days, I've noticed a wet area developing on the lower backside of the dam. This area has always been wet (cattails). We've had a little rain, and it now seems to be getting bigger. During construction, we dug a trench to divert any water to the stream. Also, the pond is now full. I've got seed down, trying to get some rye grass established quickly. Based on these pictures, should I be worried? Should I be doing anything other than monitoring the situation? Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

ODM was this a natural marsh area prior to building the pond? has the pond completed filled and ran tru the rock spillway channel?

My 2.5 acre pond does this same thing. The area was a marsh in wet season prior to building the pond and it stays even wetter now. I have some seepage when my pond is at full pool but I have a 300 acre water shed so my pond gets a refill often enough to overcome the seepage. I would monitor the the pond level before taking any action at this point especially if it was a wet area prior to building the pond.

Rockytopper - thanks for the quick response. This has got me very worried. The area behind the dam was marshy in the wet season before we built the dam. The pond has been at full pool since yesterday, and the problem has gotten worse since then. I don't mind a little a seepage as long as I don't have to worry about a dam failure.

Od from your original post correct me if I'm wrong but there is nothing behind the dam from what I could see that would be damaged even if your entire dam failed all at once. A 1/2 acre pond at that depth is not enough water to be concerned about given the property and location of it. If your concerned about the money loss aspect then that could happen to all of us. As far as the spillway, personally I would have built more free board and let it spill around the end on a grassed spillway as wide as possible or affordable. This is more common at least in our part the world. If your creek flows alot during the wet season then I might have installed a small pipe thru the dam or siphon system perfered by many here for trickle water.

Has the inlet pipe under the road always handled the inflow of that stream assuming you have had heavy to extreme rain events? If so perhaps the spillway as designed will be fine as built. If not then you have a problem but then again you may not because a huge event may or may never happen in your life span, I would gamble in your case. I would monitor the water to see if the seepage is acceptable assuming there is a problem may not be. Take it from there. Hell if your nuts like the rest of us that will end up being your silt pond and you'll have a monster pond down stream. My 2.5 acre pond was originally just like yours. The pond life style is very addictive. I'm beyond intervention. Some here claim their recreational users only and can quit any time they want. Their just in denial. Keep us posted and good luck.

Again, thanks for the help Rockytopper. There is a 2 lane hwy downstream from the pond, but it's high enough the water wouldn't flood it. The spillway is 14' wide, tapering to 10'. A guy from the local USDA office did the calculations for the spillway based on a full flow through the 36" culvert feeding the pond. A neighbor told me he saw that culvert full once, about 10 years ago. As far as I know, the inlet culvert has always been able to handle the flow. They also recommended 6" of rock in the spillway, saying most of the flow should go over it.

I called my contractor last night, and he came over this morning. The USDA guy is going to stop by today too. I'm sure we're going to take the wait and see attitude...really nothing else to do at this time as far as I can see.

I can see how this pond business becomes addictive!

OD how did this turn out?