Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Repairing Cement Dam Wall in Water

Hello,

Our 1 acre long pond is fed by a stream on one end and is dammed at the other by a crude cement/rock 4-5 feet high wall in the water. Unfortunately the tully irises and tree roots have compromised the integrity of the dam wall. Once we pulled out the tullies, the water is now flowing strong through the makeshift dam. Is there anyway to repair the 8 foot by 4 foot dam wall without draining the entire pond? Can a plywood wall be constructed to help keep the water from the dam so it can be repaired? Please help, we're losing alot of water and I'm fearful we're going to lose all the fish.

Thanks,

Loomisgal [LIST]

If there are SMALL cracks in the dam, you may be able to fix in place without draining. The concrete drain box on our pond had a leak where the 8" plastic outlet pipe entered it that we did not find for about 9 months after construction. Our excavator/general contractor built a wooden form around the pipe side of the drain box and filled it with concrete "grout," which I think is the same stuff he sealed the drain pipe in to begin with. This has held OK for about two years now and show no sign of deterioration.

The grout (you make it from a dry bagged mix with water, much like quikrete) will set up in a form while the form is in water. Concrete is supposed to be kept damp enough not to dry out while curing, so maybe having the other side of the form in water is actually an advantage.

Your problem sounds like it may be too advanced for patching, but you could estimate how much grout it would take, price the grout at a builders' supply house, and see if you want to gamble on a quick/cheap fix.