Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations How pond fills

I am a shiny new member, currently having a 1/2acre pond being built here in pa by Phil Hay and son's excavating, great crew and nice job👍👍, question is it being dug over a spring water hole that always has water so how will the spring enter through the compacted clay bottom of the pond to fill it, thanks alot

Good question with not much way to answer it. Lots of unknowns.

Is it a flowing spring or seep spring?

A spring can both give and take depending on the status of ground waters.

Hopefully they will pack the clay tight enough so the spring is shut off. There is no one way valve on the spring, so when there is more water pressure in the pond than the spring the water will go out of the pond if it isn't packed tight. The majority of water will get into the pond from surface ground runoff.

It's being rolled with vibration , I have a arial photo I'd send BUT gotta figure how to

Photo will not help us much. Compaction with a vibratory roller would be good but a sheepsfoot would be better because the knobs on the sheepsfoot knit the two layers together. Vibratory roller could produce layered sheets where water could deep between the sheets. Vibratory roller would be better than just a doser. Consider having the contractor blending in 2 to 3 bags of bentonite in the area or vicinity around the spring seepage.. This stuff is cheap (~20/bag) leak insurance. The moisture from the spring seep should keep the clay damp for great compaction. Cover the spring seep with bentonite and clay is thin layers and compact each layer well with the roller. Return when the pond is full and how well it is holding water. We can help a lot with stocking information and management ideas. Add your structure before the pond fills. Big rocks concrete is very good fish habitat.

I'd shoot for a 24" thick clay "cap" over that seepage area, but it needs to be done in 4-5 steps. You can't compact that thickness of clay at one time.

They were going to use a sheepsfoot but was in shop, I asked them the operator said he scratches the surface with the skid steer then goes over with the vibration roller, they put 24 inches of clay over as a liner, I actually was recommended them by you guys on here, feel good bout them, no short cuts, key trenches ect

And yes is compacted in layers, I really appreciate all your responses here big👍

Okay hopefully the compacted layers will keep the spring water seepage from entering the pond. If after several years the pond water drops more than normal during dry periods and the area water table drops the pond water is moving out through the liner.

If Drew Hay is doing the project, rest easy. He takes no short cuts and holds himself accountable for every project. First class guy and company.

Per Lusk, Drew is one of the best pond engineers on the planet - proceed with full confidence. If there's a spring, he'll address it.

I was recommended him from u guys here, I was talking to him other day here at my new pond location and said you Bob Lusk are a good guy👍👍

Welcome to Pond Boss from another Western PA member!!

Thanks my friend