Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Uh oh, dam leaking. Advice needed…

Hi all, my one acre pond has finally filled. I have a 8” drain going thru the dam that has started to leak on the back side of the dam about 30 feet from the waters edge. The pipe is about 2 feet under water and has a mortar collar poured around it on the water slope. The top of the collar is in about a foot of water and the bottom in about 2 1/2 feet. I also built in a ball valve at the end of the pipe for draining purposes.

Unfortunately, a few weeks ago when the water was lower the pond iced then the snow melt pushed the ice up under the drain end and lifted the pipe assembly about 4 inches. The mortar collar essentially was raised up above the pond slope exposing a small gap under the pipe. Today, a week later, I notice a very soft spot where the water is seeping out on the back slope.

My best immediate guess of a plan is to get two or three hundred pounds of bentonite and try to seal around the mortar collar. I have access to “bentonite chips” and “bentonite powder” from a local Facebook vendor.

What do you think of the plan? Also, form of bentonite would be best?

Thanks in advance fo the help, Tony

Well friends, the repairs worked. Seep has dried up as a result of fixing the cracked mortar collar with hydraulic cement and covering the face of the pipe penetration with 300 lbs of bentonite chips (coated gravel). I’ll be installing a small bubbler near the overflow so the ice won’t lift the pipe and re-open the leak in following winters.

A tip for using bentonite chips - mix 50-50 with dirt prior to spreading. The bentonite goes further and the dirt gives the swelled up bentonite “snot” more body.

Thanks for all the help!

Tony

Reach out anytime, as a volunteer here my time is always free to the Pond Boss family. If you elect to go the polymer route I can source a PB forum discount, too.

tj@hudlandmgmt.com

Owning a pond is a joy, but as this thread illustrates, it can also be one dam thing after another.

Spread another 300 lbs of Bentonite chips mixed with dirt over and around the mortar repair yesterday. Should know in a few days if fixes worked - I think they will.

Great thread!