How can I stop my pond from leaking?

Question

I have a small 2 acre pond that has a dam on one end. It is about 12' high and about 10' wide. Recently my pond started leaking. I can see the water coming out of the bottom of the dam and going into the creek. How can I stop this leak? It isn't a huge amount of water but it's enough to drop the level in the pond about 1" every 3-4 days (which adds up!) It's driving me crazy and I think my pond may dry up and I will loose all my fish. Thanks very much.

Brilliant answer by Loofa - thanks that's helpful

Answer 1

I had to face the same situation. We had people from the county come out, petroleum engineers and construction people. We tried the expanding clays with no success. Then tried again several times.

Finally, we had to wait until the pond dried. We had the clay, not the dirt, moved to where the leak was and packed in the whole surrounding area. That was the only thing that worked.

Answer 2

Leaking Pond

Answer 3

Look up concrete in the yellow pages, or on line, call a few if you have to. You can buy concrete that will set up --Under water, you can premix the concrete and double /triple up a heavy duty trash bags and scoop the wet concrete into the bag ,tie the top in a tight knot and use this as a plug to stop the leak from the pond side. that should keep the concrete you use to patch the leak on the creek side from washing away b-4 it sets. Good luck. The whole job will cost less than $20

Answer 4

Bentonit clay. That is the stuff to use. You can just pour it in the waterand it will find the leak and stop it up and seal the bottom.

It may however be a problem for the fish. It might clog some gills. Do not know for sure. But a friend has done it on his pond and he still has fishes.

Answer 5

It might be a gopher hole or some other burrowing animal or just a seep coming thru. might check just around the water line and look for burrows. Recompacting the soil with a construction vibrator, driving some heavy equipment over the top, packing more clay into the water side. Might have to try several things.

Answer 6

Unlined pond, I take it? What about one of the expansive clays like sodium bentonite aka swelling bentonite?
http://www.texassodiumbentonite.com/
http://sodiumbentonite.net/

Can you remove the fish temporarily and drain the pond? That's a little more straightforward than trying to seal a filled pond.

Answer 7

Sheetrock won't it is going to soak and crumble in minutes. there's a product called durarock it rather is a cement board used for moist factors in bogs etc. A rubber membrane utilized to this might carry water.

Answer 8

I think you may need to cement the leak first and then pour a coat of "gel?" over the part. When hardened, the "gel" will prevent leaks. I think it is just like the coat of "gel" poured over your bathroom floor. It is below the concrete slabs on the floor. It is waterproof.

Answer 9

if the holes no too big you and take some wood and cover the hole and get some under water cement or something so seal it then seal it with more cement from the other side

Answer 10

build a concrete dam