Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Leaking 1/4" per day

Hello all. I had a 1 1/2 acre pond built 2 1/2 yrs. ago, it leaked then and after draining and reworking the bottom it still leaks the same now. Anyway it's full and has been pretty much so for about a year. I've kept track of the loss rate and it's pretty consistent at 1/4" per day.
At the low point behind the dam I dug a pit and put a pump in and just started pumping the biggest part of the leak back in. May sound silly but it seems to be working. About the only option I have left is to drain the pond permanently, put a liner in it or just keep pumping. I think I'll just pump. It's a beautiful pond with good water clarity. If we have normal or near normal rainfall I think it should stay pretty full. It has'nt dropped more than a foot at any one time since spring.
My question is, do you think I could go ahead and stock the pond. It's about 10' deep at most and averages 4' to 6' overall.
Thanks,
Houston Turner

Wheres the leak? Why cant you stop it? have you tried all the usuals like big sheet of plastic on the inside to plug the hole the pressure from the water should stop it how about using some of the stop mentiones on this site. Is it deep or shallow (the leak) is it coming from under the damn? did you build a keyway? Many questions you left unanswered. Draining it is not an option everyone needs a pond give us a little more info on the leak where how deep down what you have already tried, what youve thought about. How much money are you willing to spend to fix it instead if draining it. What kind of soil do you have? There is a lot of help here so give the whole scoop and watch everyone try and help you. We can give you all kinds of ideas but its up to you on time and money and know how. A quater inch a day is not that bad if you have the rain to support it what you will have to worry about is erosion.

My pond can drop 1/4" on a hot day just from evaporation.

Thanks BC and Brian for the reply.
The leak is under and through the dam. Yes he put a keyway in (about 4 ft. deep) but I have alot of rock and evidently my clay is very pourous. I drained it myself 2 yrs ago and dug out the bottom. Removed about 3 ft. of rock and replaced with clay and 20 tons of bentonite and sheepsfooted it in. I thought that might fix it but no cigar. Anyway it leaks at the base of the dam from one end to the other and also right through the dam up about 1/3 of the height. It's quite a mess back there but I'm trying to deal with it. No erosion just very wet.
I'm not willing to spend much more on it. Already in for about 22K. If I have to drain it I'll push it in.

Houston Turner

1/4 inch per day isn't enough to worry about. After 2. 5 years, it probably won't seal but mine evaporates a lot more than that.

Thanks Dave. Sounds like I might as well take a chance and put some fish in. They should get fat as heck on the frogs.
H. Turner

If you can keep at 1/4 inch of loss with pumping... and pumping isn't bankrupting you... I'd say keep at it. I lose 1/4 to 1/2 inch a day at times... depending on weather.

Thanks for the reply Pottsy. About $30 a month for the pump. I can live with that. I might try sprinkling some more Bentonite one of these days to see if it can slow some of the seepage.