Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Water dropping , help please.

Well not such a good outcome with my new pond. I started several months ago building and with the help of all of you I thought I had everything covered. I've got plenty of clay in the soil, structure in place, etc. I filled the small 1/4 acre pond with a well and things looked really good until it was full and I shut the well off. The water began to drop at the rate of 1-2 ft per day. I tell ya that will take the wind right out of your sails.
My question is: Is there anything I can look for while it is almost empty or do I keep pouring the water to it and hope it will seal.
Thanks for the support.

I'm very sorry to hear that sm. That's every pond bulider's nightmare.

After the water quits dropping, you should carefully examine the banks around the water's edge. You may just have 1 porous area that can be dug out and packed with clay. Look for holes and cracks that have washed out a bit.

If the pond empties totally, the porosity in in the deepest part, of course. If the water level stops but there are no seepage holes or cracks around the bank, then the water has dropped to the ground water level. (I would think not very likely in Kansas)

Best of luck!

It did seem to stop or slow considerably. With the rate of water loss I am experiencing it probably wont seal over with time will it?

Bad news and very disappointing.

Check very carefully for water on the backside of the dam...assuming it is an excavated pond.

Contact the original builder, assuming it isn't you, and ask them to make it right. Also, ask them if they encountered any unusual areas, during construction, where something other than clay may have been present.

One to two feet per day is a lot of water..it has to be going somewhere and once you can figure that out, then remediation steps can be formulated.

Ponds aren't easy for sure, but then nothing worth having is easy, in my experience.

I'll start looking for signs, I appreciate the advice.

mine did the same thing, but after a big rain it sealed.

Well I was told by some old timers in the area that it may take up to a year to seal. My fatherinlaw works for the soil conservation service and he cant believe it either. You know its pretty dry around here but still I poured the water to it for almost 2 months solid.