Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Leaking Overflow Pipe

I am an extreme newbie to this site as well as ponds. From the posts I've read I am optimistic that will find some answers here. I have a new pond (6 months) with an overflow pipe. The pipe is the new plastic "tin" horn type. It tops out about approx. 6" below the top of my dam and runs approx. 3 ft under the soil before it ties into a 90 degree elbow. The deepest part of the pond is approx. 12' deep and avg about 6'. Water is leaking through the soil, through the pipe and elbow joint which then takes it out on the downside of the pond. I cannot find any other leaks around the pond. The options I believe I have are to spread (sprinkle) Bentonite through the water, drain and speak the Bentonite, or some how seal the pipe from the inside. I would appreciate any advice or ideas you might have.

Greetings and felicitations, OKRob!

Was an anti-seep collar(s) installed around the pipe? If not I would incorporate a couple of them in any fix.

An ant-seep collar was not installed. I had never heard of one until I read your response and did a search in the Web. The plastic corrugated pipe is vertical and intersects the side of the pond at a step angle. Would I place one collar at that angle just below the soil and another one on the back side of the pond where the pipe exits?

We put the antiseep collars on my dams near both sides of the cores.

Thank you for your response. In addition to the anti-seep collars do you believe granulated sodium bentonite would help? In some locations I would be dropping this through standing water.

Casting bentonite upon the water seems to have a pretty poor chance of working based on most reports we have seen here. Lowering the water level, adding good clay (or not-so-good dirt with bentonite mixed in) and compacting are probably the best chance. But let's wait to here from Otto and the other dirt guys.

Welcome to the forum.
How much water is leaking?

It may not be a problem. It is never good but they all leak some.

Keep an eye on it and let us know,

Anything you do with anti-seeps or bentonite will not hurt so try them. But if the leak is bad enough to cause the dam to fail then you may have to take the pipe out and reinstall it.

Keep us posted.

Can you phyically reach the leak point? If so there is a product called water works. It is a epoxy that will dry in water very fast. I used it to fix my spillway pipe but my system is big enough to crawl into.

I appreciate all the feedback. The pond seems to be leaking, through the drain pipe, significantly. We have had several inches of rain and the pond level has hot changed. I do not believe there is any danger of the dam itself failing since the water appears to be escaping through the pipe joint and not around the pipe.

Rockytopper, I can't reach the leak myself... a girth issue, but I may have someone who can. I did a quick search for Water Works on the Web but could not find any info. Do you know of a Web site or a distributor who sells this product?

I'm thinking of attacking from all angles; anti-seep collar, Bentonite (after lowering water level), and a water works type product. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Again, thanks for the feedback.

Here is a quick link I found.
http://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8277-Water/dp/B000BRQ0TW

It is a JB weld product. I purchased at as local automotive store. I believe lowes or home depot carry it or another brand of the same thing. If water is flowing out when applied you have to be able to hold it in place for about 5 minutes so that it will set up and hold.

Rockytopper,

Thanks for the information!

OKRob
This will be good for us to know about. Keep up posted.
Otto

I will update the post......just waiting for the rain to subside.

It has been 5 months since I posted about my leaking pond. I had fully intended to drain the pond down and work in some bentonite to help stop the leak. We are building on the property and time has not permitted me to follow through. The good news. We have had a significant amount of rain over the past few months. Evidently the leaks have silted in and have completely stopped. The pond is within a few inches now of being full. I guess the take away is to give nature time to see if a leak will seal on its own before jumping in.....so to speak. I do appreciate the advice just pleased my pond cured itself.

Good to hear OKRob! We need a break now & then huh?!

One of the lucky few.