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#261383 06/07/11 10:39 PM
Joined: Jun 2011
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My overflow pipe is leaking, I think?

The pond was built about 50 years ago. A corrugated steel pipe rises vertically out of the ground, elbows below the pond, and exits out the back bank leaking into a creek. About 25 years ago, the owner of the pond told me he put a larger, yet thinner corrugated pipe around the old verticsal pipe b/c the old pipe was deteriorating at the top. The new bigger pipe was forced a few feet in the bed of the pond and extended about two feet higher than the existing pipe. He did this to raise the level of the water. There is a spillway on the northeast end of the bank and it simply consists of grass and drains into a mature wooded area eventually ending up in the creek.

When I first moved here, the 1 1/2 acre pond was high. The overflow pipe was apparently clogged and I, at the time, could not see the outter pipe extending vertically out of the water at all. The spillway was damp at the time but did its job.

Some say there was a spring on the southwest side of the pond but I see no evidence of this presently. I feel the pond receives its water supply from run-off only.

The past two months I've noticed plenty of rainfall, yet the pond level stayed low. I went to the back of the bank and saw a trickle of water coming out of the horizontal pipe yet the top of the vertical pipe is about 18 inches above the water.

I am thinking about pouring cement in the smaller original pipe and hope it hardens at the elbow.

Or should I cap the back side of the pipe where it spills out.

I feel I can sure up my spillway and survive any big storms, I just can't see it washing away. My house is way up hill of the pond.

Please offer any advice and sorry for being log winded. Thanks again.

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If you research my posts I have had the same problem you are having, trust me its not fun. Easy as you might think it is to plug the leaking overflow from the outside of the pond its not. In fact its impossible. That water has more pressure then all the dirt, clay and cement you could imagine. You got wait till the ponds water level goes below the leak then seal the pond from the inside with bentonite. Its not fun easy or fast but you just cant fix a leak from the outside.

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Cody, you are 110% correct. Trying to seal the culvert from the outside will be durn near impossible.

Last edited by esshup; 06/08/11 08:18 AM. Reason: Thought it was a different leaking pipe.......

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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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If I did do this would it potentially last 20 years like I read in a previous post? If so, hell I'll be dead by then...

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Hey guys thanks for all of the advice. A neighbor and I went out in a boat on the pond and looked down the vertical pipe. The collar around the vertical pipe is leaking in three spots. Small little pin leaks. The collar is inserted over the flange of the original pipe.

I don't know what to do, but would like to at least attempt a patch, maybe a header with a pvc pipe extending up from the original vertical pipe. This pvc pipe would rest right on the flange and hopefully raise the depth of the pond a little??? Seal the edge of the bottom of the pvc pipe on the outside and inside at the bottom. The seal would bond the flange to the pvc??? Please help.

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Can you get to the leak without draining the entire pond?

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I had the same problem on my pond. Over time more leaks will appear as the pipe weakens. This is what I ended up doing. I got a piece of thin rubber matting (like used in tile applications) and wrapped it around the pipe were the holes were. This stopped the flow of water well enough to allow me to concrete the pipe. After that a had a syphon system installed. This will allow you to raise the water level if you so desire.
Putting the matting on the pipe is the most difficult part. I had to be very carefull not to make more holes. I had to use scuba gear because there were some deeper holes. The water presure held most of it in place and I used large zip ties in the rest. If the holes are near water level is should not be hard. Getting rid of that stand pipe was the best thing I ever did, at least for my peace of mind.
Good luck

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Hey guys thanks for all the advice. I am presently waiting for an old timer to come by later this week. He is about 80 years old and built many ponds in the area. I hope he will have some good advice. I have also been blessed with almost 2 inches of rain this past weekend and more coming Thursday, therefore, the water level is hanging in there. I ewant to do whatever it takes to keep this eco system alive. Wouldn"t be the same starting over. Thanks again guys and great site!!!


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