Pondman, water is always looking for a way to escape your pond, be it over, under the dam, out the sides, or seeping thru the bottom, PLUS lots of evaporation. Open up the pond construction topics and go to reading. Basics are, cored, layered, and packed dam. Packing after each layering. Lots of clay mixed with soil spread out on bottom and compressed with sheepsfoot packer. Dont forget the sides, especially if any of the side walls seem sandy. That's what I am dealing with now. Only one side is sandy and is adjacent to a stand of trees. Not a good thing for maintaining water level.

Welcome; you will get lots of good info here.

It does seem that AL. may become the SE again during football season. Did you actually move back, or did Alabama annex your town to get dibs on the next stud linebacker?