Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction ANOTHER LEAKING POND

I posted this in another thread. After doing that, thought it might get some good attention here so I'll try.

I'm located in east Texas about 45 minutes north east of Houston. I dug my pond out on the July 4th weekend of this year. It was good clay at around 2 -3 feet. The pond is about 10 feet deep at its deepest and a pretty steep edge with some straight vertical walls on two sides where the dozer cut a channel. The channel is at the bottom and is only 2 and a half feet tall then goes to a slope of about 2:1. The slope goes to the top. It's burmed up about a foot and a half above the original ground level. No run off from the yard. The pond is more of a triangular shape with all three sides measuring roughly 90 feet.
We hit water sand at about 12 feet and put 2 feet of clay back over it. I've already got a pier and steps going into it with footings going into the dirt around 3 feet and they are cemented in. None of the footings go as deep as the water sand.
At the pier, there is a pecan tree on each side of it only about 5 feet from the shore line.
It was an extremely hot (high 90's daily) and very humid summer. We had a few bouts of heavy rain that filled my pond up about 2 feet. That was all in July. It was all going great.
Then my problem started. In August, I decided to just fill up my pond with well water. It was adding about 4 vertical inches a day. Going well. But, when I would turn the water off, it would drop about the same or maybe a little less daily. I chocked it up to evaporation because of the heat plus the soil being extremely thirsty and figured it would have its fill and let my pond fill up before long. Then I turned my water back on and hooked sprinklers up hoping it would help saturate the ground. After running it for about a week or so like this, I decided to turn it off for a while. The pond level at that point was about 4 - 5 feet deep. After about a week, I lost almost 2 feet. So, I repeated the process and started marking my water line. I'm losing around 4 inches a day. Regardless of the rainfall. I have been told by a few people that it's likely not leaking but I'm losing faith in that.
It will drain to a certain point and then stop draining. I've noticed a hole on one of the vertical sides and the water level always stops dropping at the bottom of that hole. The hole is about 3 inches in diameter. Don't know how deep it is. Was thinking maybe a crawfish. I do have some crawfish holes in my pond.
After that long description, my question is:
1. Does it sound like my pond is leaking, evaporating, soaking up into the dirty still?

2. If that hole is the culprit (which im suspecting it is), how can i 'spot fix' just that spot? Especially with it being on a vertical edge?

3. Any recommendations on if I should line it, or spread sodium bentonite along the water line and shore line after I let the water level settle, or tap into the water table and put almost like an artesian well with a pipe sticking out to the level that I would want my water line?

Sorry for the long post. Just trying to be thorough. Thanks for all of the help.

I was shocked at how much water the clay took in our pond. I dove to the bottom of our pond at 12 feet off the dock to get a lawn chair that had blown into the pond. I reached the bottom and felt around for the chair and could not find it on the first dive. Out of breath I pushed off the bottom to come to the surface quick and dam my feet and legs went straight into the clay about 16"s. With allot of panicked wiggling I finally got loose to my wife's shock I could stay down for so long. I said it was not of my making I could stay down for so long.

For my second dive I found a rock by feeling around first, zero visibility, to push off of to come back up after maybe finding the chair.

Long story long I was completely shocked at how much water the clay banks can hold. If you are not sinking in up to your knees the area dirt will be pulling gallons of water in still.

Cheers Don.

How large is the pond?

How moist was the soil when it was built? Did it have enough moisture to pack well?

You may not have enough clay to adequately cover the sand but I doubt that. It's possible that you missed a spot or a spot didn't get adequately packed.

But, if it stops dropping at the spot of the hole, I would ASSume that is the problem. I would certainly start there and pack it.

That's definitely an "OH CRAP" moment!!