I have no experience with fixing a leak like you have, but this is what I see in my minds eye as possibilities. My mind may need glasses so take what I say with a grain of salt.

The leak that close to the overflow pipe seems like the anti-seep collars are not working or not installed properly or compacted properly or something. Looks like water following near the path of the pipe.

If you are lucky, the leak originates right at the area of the entrance to the overflow pipe. If you are lucky. If it originates lower in the dam, not so lucky.

I say that, because if the leak originates from full pool level where the water is flowing under the lower edge of the pipe, down along the pipe, and out the bottom - that means the leak originates very high on the dam face. The easiest place to fix.

If that is the case a person could lower the pond level by several feet, backhoe out the pipe being careful to keep enough dirt between the water level so the dam is not breached, fix what is wrong and properly compact the pipe and collars back in, and let the pond refill. I'm not a professional. That is just the way this farmer would approach it. Not a recommendation.

Can you pump the pond a few feet down and not hurt anything? If you pump it down and kind of watch the leak periodically as the pond lowers, if the leak stops when the pond is lower two or there feet, that would tell you the source of water was from up high.

Just an idea.

Edit: Might have to backhoe out the upper part, put in an additional collar, haul in some good clay to compact back in the repaired area??????? Just ideas. To be shot down by those that know more and have actual experience.


Last edited by snrub; 08/19/15 06:23 PM.
John

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