pond not holding water

[FrizzleFreak]

We have exactly the same problem. We tried Bentonite. Everything. Turns out, there's an underground river running right under our pond. When the river is low, the water leaves our pond to fill the river. When it's high, the pond overflows.

 

[Omran]

Well in your case try to find out where the hole in one of the walls of e pond is, and then ifyou are sure that you find t hole go to the agriculture Store and ask them for bag of material (forgot what the exact name of it) this material it is like some kind of clay when you poure it inside the hole it will be like a stoper and your pond will hold water, sometimes watersnakes do this holes and turtles.

and if yu can,t find it then pond has to be drained and dozed again to put clay on the damps.

omran

 

[Mahonri]

Drain, dig it deeper, line it.

Put in fish and ducks

Enjoy

but it's gonna cost.

 

[Sylvie]

Tree roots that are decaying will become pond leaks, especially on the dam. That looks like your problem from the photo and because of the fact that it used to hold water. Roots really travel, too. Probably alright with the pines but the other deciduous trees in the immediate area need to go or you will continue to have problems.

You most likely have sufficient lining of porous blocking material like clay because the pond held water until recently. I don't think that you would need to reline the entire thing, but that's your call. You could pump out some water lowering the level to add regular clay soil to the dam area or you could add the Bentonite.

When our pond was constructed the dam was built with a key. That means when the soil was piled and was compacted for the dam, it then had a narrow 3' deep trench dug the length down the middle of the dam and then refilled with clay and packed down again. It is a little known technique but quite effective for strengthening dams and preventing leaks from weak soil structure. I would see about strengthening your dam with the key because it appears that you have sandy soil.

Lastly, has something occurred in your area that would have the effect of lowering the rain runoff or water table? Are wells and springs drying up in the area? That would definitely affect your pond's water level.

 

[elliemay0305]

thanks for all the advise. im not sure what happen. i ahve talked with some people in my area and they all say they have no idea why it went dry! they said before we got it it always had water and the people use to fish out of it! i was thinking maybe the shape needs to be made again. dug out a little in the middle and pile the side up good. i know i dug a few holes with a shovel and once i get down so far there is rock or something hard so maybe thats what the people before put down to help hold the water. grass grows great in it. last year we put out deer corn just to have them come around and we had corn growing down there!! my dad has a backhoe. ive been waiting for them to finally move up here so i could use it

thanks again everyone!

 

[mjdtexan]

Our pond did not need a liner but your conditions may be different. If clay is not to expensive that may be the way of it. I like bentonite for other reasons. You can use just a tad bit for clearing wine. Yep.

I honestly think patience is what you need for your pond.

 

[patandchickens]

Most likely you have an underground leak -- tree roots perforating the dam, or a dry year that dried the pond and caused the underground clay to irreversibly crack, or a variety of less-common causes.

I have to say, as a pond biologist I have seen a LOT of "used to hold water but now it doesn't" manmade ponds, and in the great majority of the cases where people tried to fix 'em, they turned out to be whoppin' big money pits and never DID hold water again reliably. Not to say it can't be done, but you would have to have a lot of luck and a good budget.

Personally, I'd just forget the fish and regard it as a seasonal wetland and call it a day.

If you are really determined to do *something*, I would not suggest digging. That is likely to worsen the problem, if anything. I would cut down all trees/saplings around the dam area and consider having the dam rebuilt, BY A POND CONTRACTOR not just some guy with a bulldozer and nothing better to do.

I wouldn't personally line it -- IME that size pond with a liner, even if it is covered in riprap (and this gets real expensive), is just not at all the same as a 'real' pond. It can be done, and fish can be put in it, but it will never be 'right' IMHO.

There is nothing really wrong with a nice secluded little wetland basin, though, other than you'd have to do your fishing somewhere else

Good luck,

Pat