Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Any pond experts near west central Indiana?

I am concerned my core is not deep enough. The dam was just done about 4 weeks ago and we have not had any water since then, although it is slowing filling from a spring/underground stream. I want to make sure the spring/underground stream is not going to go under the dam. It would be nice to have an expert look at it before it starts to fill. Although I am not sure if there is any way to do any testing? Or maybe I should just wait and see if it fills all the way up.

Is the pond filling from the bottom up or can you see water running into the pond from somewhere?

Were you there to see the depth of the core? If so, did the builder dig into good clay before backfilling and compacting? Did the builder backfill the trench and center core with good clay?


Dave Sefton is near the area in Brownstown Illinois and an excellent pond builder. Here is a link to his Pond Boss info with his email address Dave Sefton aka Mongo .

I am not a pond expert, but I am not sure it is practical to evaluate the dam core once the dam is completed. It has been record-breaking dry here in west-central Indiana, at least where I am at, and we got nothing from the last wave of storms. If it were me, I'd wait and see how it fills. I am not sure of any way to be sure about the dam integrity without a real test, unless you can see the water seeping out the dam on the far side (away from the pond).

IT's been dry up here as well. Ponds that were dug in 2008 are the lowest that they've been since then.

You are right esshup, my pond was down 2"

I think it would be difficult to evaluate the core at this point. My pond has a dam with a core, and they compacted every 6" as they came out of the trench with clay. I saw the progress every day so I knew it was being done correctly.

Is there something that leads you to believe it was not properly installed?

How did your pond do once it filled?

At least you have a core and if you have good clay soil you may be O.K. I've had a couple of ponds dug without a core and the builder looked puzzled when I asked about a core. I had some seepage initially around those two small ponds 25 X 25 holding pond and a 1/10th acre pond) but no longer. The 25 by 25 pond is now part of another 1/10th acre pond.

At least you have a core and if you have good clay soil you may be O.K. I've had a couple of ponds dug without a core and the builder looked puzzled when I asked about a core. I had some seepage initially around those two small ponds 25 X 25 holding pond and a 1/10th acre pond) but no longer. The 25 by 25 pond is now part of another 1/10th acre pond. Cecil did you do anything or did they just silt themselves in after some yrs?

Bob,

They pretty much sealed themselves although one of the initially we put in a small gravel filled trench to direct water away from the seep.