# 13 Fixing a leaking pond, my leak has gotten worse

[@congamike1]

This was helpful. Thanks. I'm going to look around for your next video on the topic

[@billburkhart]

Hello Mike, thanks for taking time to write, I'm happy to tell you the pond leak has been fixed for about 3 months and the newest video will be out in a few weeks. Have a good week. - Bill

[@braden8737]

I feel for you Bill. All that work work you've done and money spent. Keep at it, youll get it. Enjoying watching your journey.

[@billburkhart]

Hi John, this project is becoming personal now. I think our plan B will work.

[@Jeff-uq7iu]

We had problems on our 1/2 acre pond, snapping turtles had gotten in there and were digging out the banks under water. We developed several leaks.

[@billburkhart]

Hi Jeff, I also had snapping turtle problems. Caught them using pork hocks on a catfish hook. They're no longer a problem. I hope you were able to stop the leaks, thanks for taking time to comment. - Bill

[@Jeff-uq7iu]

@@billburkhart On the back side of the pond the slope was a little over 30 degrees, similar to your pond, the leak kept the soil on that slope constantly wet and the top 12" of soil was slowly sliding down into the pond. It was pretty obvious where it was leaking, I was able to pack the holes with clay and spread bentonite along the shore line. The leak so far has stopped. The pond is around 30 years old and was 18ft at its deepest point, now it's down to around 10' max. We added aerators to help reduce the sludge, hasn't helped much. Looking at getting it dredged and the banks resloped. Just worried about losing fish. Have hybrid stripped bass and most are 10-12lbs. I really enjoy your vids thanks for sharing them.

[@billburkhart]

@@Jeff-uq7iu Hello Jeff, I had a wonderful weekend after finding a very good excavation contractor. The pond exit pond has been removed, 90 yards of clay installed in the dike and a new exit pipe installed. No we wait............I'll have a video out soon, wish me luck. - Bill

[@tommymausbach5052]

I am trying to repair a pond for a customer and is incredibly useful. Is the pond repaired? There is a overflow outlet, which could be causing it and there are two huge cottonwood trees. The pond was holding water in 2012 but they just stopped pumping water into and it dried up to less then a foot deep. Would you mind sharing your email with me to bounce off some possible fixes we may try?

[@billburkhart]

Sure…. send me an email to [e-mail]. I’ll get back to you the same day-Bill

[@riverfallscory]

I wonder how this turned out. I think I would reveal a little more of that drain and dump some cement after drawing down a few more inches. Might work who knows. Subbing to get updates on this project!

[@dDayye]

You've probably got it fixed by now but one thing to do is get rid of all those trees on the backside of the damn, their roots will cause leaks.

[@billburkhart]

Hello Mr. Dayye- The pond is not repaired yet, the weather is putting my new contractor way behind. I agree with your comments to remove the trees, we'll see what this fall brings. Thanks for taking time to comment.

[@WelshRabbit]

Looks like it might be time to temporarily drop the water level as low as possible and call in the pro guys with a gunite or shotcrete pumper to spray on an impervious barrier. If you don't have it smoothed, the sprayed application can have a natural, rusticated look. Alas, the cost can be shockingly pricey, especially if you have to do a large area to seal all the leaks and potential leaks.

[@billburkhart]

Hello WR. Thank you for the suggestion, I'm going to consider your idea because I'm loosing my patience. Thanks for writing.

[@vspd303]

Not sure if it’s the same issue but recently my parents had a pond put in cost $20,000 within 3 months the water level dropped and the wall started to cave. Called the company well they wouldn’t show back up so a different pond guy came out at another cost of $20,000 to basically rebuild the pond the problems were not enough clay thickness on the walls. He randomly dug spots around the pond with a excavator looking for water leaking. After finding the area it was leaking he was able to stop it. There’s also a sub pump installed near the pond that pumps the water back into it not sure what’s that for but it’s not used all the time. We tried all that sealer stuff and nothing worked but not after basically draining and redoing the pond it’s holding water for a year now

[@billburkhart]

Hi Steve thanks for the information, I've got about $4,000 in this project so far and hope next spring I can finally wrap it up. Thanks for taking the time to write.

[@robertoler3795]

doubtless you have fixed his...but why have the pipe? why not just make a natural overflow/

[@billburkhart]

Robert Oler Robert that is an excellent question and I’m struggling with that same question. I’m considering installing a secondary overflow made with rubber membrane and rip rap. In the video we found buried rubber and I wonder if that’s what they were using as an overflow. I had two tandem loads of riprap delivered last week, hope to have that in place this summer. Watch for an updated video sometime this fall. Thanks so much for your question

[@rossmcclure5618]

I have the same issue, caused by muskrats

[@billburkhart]

Good morning Ross, I think I had some of those critters too. Have any pond is enjoyable and at the same time be very frustrating can’t it? Enjoy the rest of your week. -Bill

[@allanpyne858]

Hmm could you devert the intake.Then drain the pond and put a liner in it?

[@billburkhart]

Hello Allan, Happy Sunday. I've strongly have considered the pond lined. This winter I plan on contacting other excavators with pond experience and lining the pond will be discuss. Thanks for the suggestion, and stay tuned.

[@georgeshotrodbarn2113]

You need to take out all those trees at the dam and tear down the dam and rebuild it. you can't have tree in or near you dam

[@billburkhart]

Thank you George, I’m working on getting the trees removed.

[@thedude4632]

Removing the trees is only a start the dam must be removed . Tree roots have grown through it , die then rotted, leaving a tunnel for water to travel through , no amount of sealer will plug this type of a problem . Fix one then another root rots , new problem and on it goes . I’m not sure clay facing the inner face of the damn will work either. Ever who you get to do the work be sure you get referrals from past work he has done ! Ponds with tree problems ain’t an easy fix and the cheap guy usually don’t work , it’s experience that does !

[@thegreatga]

Dig that pipe out, and significantly lower it. Pack the dam with clay. Get some cheap thick plastic liners and bury them in the face.

[@billburkhart]

Hello, thanks for your suggestion, I'll definitely consider it ! Can't wait for spring to get here so I can get back to work on the pond. Thanks for saying hello.