Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations leak on back side of dam

Pond was built november 2002 don't have big water shed. Took almost 1 year to fill and was the best thing for low area in my yard.contractor used excuvator to dig keyway then used tractor to pull scraper to build dam, plus dozer.Now after it filled last winter, starting in about june noticed some damp spots on back side of dam,and now i took a measurment and pond is lossing 1 and 1/2 inches every 3 days but not alot of standing water on back of dam, but can tell it is coming from pond. pond and dam are all clay. called contractor and he said he will get some bentonite and sprinkle in pond to seal. My question is, has anyone done this with success,i don't want to end up with a mud puddle but this 1/2 acrer pond cost me some good money,and want it fixed right. please help

I believe sprinkling bentonite is a waste of time and money. It might be Ok to attack a specific leak. Cecil Baird tried it and I recall that it worked for him but he didn't just sprinkle it in the dam area. I have never seen a contractor who would guarantee a fix using bentonite. I attended a pond seminar a couple of years ago and there was a speaker from a bentonite dealer. He said sprinkling is the least effective way of using it.

An inch of water a day or every couple of days probably isn't much when you factor in summertime evaporation. Most ponds are going to leak a little bit. Also, Some of the water might be rain that has fallen on the back side of the dam and is running down hill to exit at the bottom. You also have to figure that if it has recently filled, water is still soaking back into previously dry sides and dam. Trees and grasses around the sides and dam are going to get some. You probably won't have a mud hole. It can take several years to get the pond to stabilize.

po,read dave's post again,everything he said i believe to be very correct.some(most)take time to settle.i have no leaks and my lake drops 1/4" a day on hot days and it's over 5 acres of water.sounds like the contractor did a good job building the dam,give it some time.

PO,
I am losing a 1/2 inch per day just from evaporation. Also like Dave said, it takes a while to soak in the ground around your pond, and all clay has some expansive properties. It might seal itself as it absorbs moisture in your dam. It sounds like your contractor did everything right.

Brad B.