As far as adding clay to both sides of the dam helping, yes I think it could if you have it readily available and the equipment to do the job.
I put some of the excess dirt and clay I cleaned out of the ponds I refurbished on the back side of the dam. Two of the three dams had a lot of trees on them. Many older ponds around here had steep dams where the back side of the dam was too steep to mow and maintain. I used the excess material removed from the pond to fill in the back side and make a nice slope so it is easily mowed. BUT...... the two ponds I did this on have not filled all the way yet. So I can't say for sure my efforts are a complete success. Waiting on enough rain to get some runoff to fill the ponds.
But I see no reason if you can add a compacted layer of clay on a dam surface how it would be any different than putting a clay liner in the bottom of a pond. The inner surface would be better, but enough on the back side would be no different than adding a complete new dam on the back side of the old dam. How thick would the clay need to be? Don't know. But thicker would be better and sealing the back side would take a thicker layer than sealing the front side, in my non-expert opinion. The front side would only require a sealing layer with the existing dam providing the structural strength. Sealing the back side would require the layer of clay to stand up to whatever hydraulic pressure was being applied through the dam from the water height so would not only require sealing ability but structural strength.
Last edited by snrub; 06/01/14 11:56 PM.
