Pond help please

[Fordtech86]

Need some help with my oxidation pond. Started last year leaking into the ground around the pond. I say leaking but it might actually be coming out of the overflow pipe (guess thats what it is?). But the water level has been significantly lower since last year so I don’t get how it would be coming from the overflow all the time. It stays so wet that I haven’t been able to mow that area. I somewhat understand how it works, hoping someone here has some ideas to help.

 

[D2Cat]

Sounds like water is leaching through the berm. Around here we call them lagoons, and they don't have any overflow pipe. Moisture level is controlled by size and evaporation. The only way to stop/slow a leak inside a pond, that I am aware of without starting over, is bentonite. It's a power that expands when mixed with dirt, clay, sand or what ever in on the pond dam to seal it. Farm stores often sell it in 50# bags.

 

[skeets]

How large is the pond? A farmer down by where I worked has a problem like that. Now he drained the pond, was not really large maybe 30 across the breast works and 8 feet deep. When he could work he got several rolls of heavy plastic like you would warp a house with, and layered it over the breast works and along the sides of the pond. and out into the pond from the base of the breast works, leaving the stand pipe open so he could drain it. And then layered dirt over the plastic to hold it in place while the pond refilled. I dont know if it cured all the problem but the swamp below the dam dried up

 

[Fordtech86]

How large is the pond? A farmer down by where I worked has a problem like that. Now he drained the pond, was not really large maybe 30 across the breast works and 8 feet deep. When he could work he got several rolls of heavy plastic like you would warp a house with, and layered it over the breast works and along the sides of the pond. and out into the pond from the base of the breast works, leaving the stand pipe open so he could drain it. And then layered dirt over the plastic to hold it in place while the pond refilled. I dont know if it cured all the problem but the swamp below the dam dried up

Pond is not that big, maybe 15-20 feet across it, don’t know how deep (from what I have read they aren’t supposed to be very deep?)

I will try to get some pictures when I get home tonight.

 

[Fordtech86]

Sounds like water is leaching through the berm. Around here we call them lagoons, and they don't have any overflow pipe. Moisture level is controlled by size and evaporation. The only way to stop/slow a leak inside a pond, that I am aware of without starting over, is bentonite. It's a power that expands when mixed with dirt, clay, sand or what ever in on the pond dam to seal it. Farm stores often sell it in 50# bags.

Thanks D2. Starting to look like its not going to be an easy fix

 

[Lil Foot]

The wife's uncle (in the UP) had a similar problem, so he hired the same trackhoe operator that built the pond (maybe 50' x70', 0'-5'dp) and he scraped off about 18" in the "bowl", then added a layer of clay mixed with bentonite. Not sure how much, but after he put the dirt back, problem was solved.

 

[D2Cat]

Fordtech86, no bigger than the lagoon is I'd buy a few bags of bentonite. Then borrow someone's flat bottom boat and simply spread the bentonite. Start on the side that is wet below and work towards the center of the lagoon.

Bentonite ideally is mixed and pushed in with something like a sheepsfoot if everything was available. But do what you can, starting simple first. Spread it like you were sowing grass seed by hand, just throw it out. It will settle to the bottom and hopefully be pulled into the leak.

You can purchase bentonite at some farm stores or an oil field supply store. If you know anyone who runs some oil leases ask them, they may have volume purchases and get a better price. Around here a 50# bag is $8.99.

I wonder why it's seeping now? How many years has it been in use?

 

[Fordtech86]

Fordtech86, no bigger than the lagoon is I'd buy a few bags of bentonite. Then borrow someone's flat bottom boat and simply spread the bentonite. Start on the side that is wet below and work towards the center of the lagoon.

Bentonite ideally is mixed and pushed in with something like a sheepsfoot if everything was available. But do what you can, starting simple first. Spread it like you were sowing grass seed by hand, just throw it out. It will settle to the bottom and hopefully be pulled into the leak.

You can purchase bentonite at some farm stores or an oil field supply store. If you know anyone who runs some oil leases ask them, they may have volume purchases and get a better price. Around here a 50# bag is $8.99.

I wonder why it's seeping now? How many years has it been in use?

I wouldn’t have to drain it? I looked into it a little at lunch and was reading it would have to be drained.

I don’t know how long it has been there. House was built in the 50s.

 

[RCW]

Ford - - I had to "google" oxidation pond.

For starters, I would do exactly what 'Cat said. Is it wet near the overflow, or in a particular area? You probably don't even need a boat. Think casting stuff for feeding fish, and work around where it's wet at first. Heck, it's worth a shot..

You say it's wet and you can't mow. Are there trees, saplings, big cattails coming in? The roots of those can actually cause some of the issues you have. Their roots can channel into the lagoon so it won't hold water. You want just grasses around it.

 

[Fordtech86]

Ford - - I had to "google" oxidation pond.

For starters, I would do exactly what 'Cat said. Is it wet near the overflow, or in a particular area? You probably don't even need a boat. Think casting stuff for feeding fish, and work around where it's wet at first. Heck, it's worth a shot..

You say it's wet and you can't mow. Are there trees, saplings, big cattails coming in? The roots of those can actually cause some of the issues you have. Their roots can channel into the lagoon so it won't hold water. You want just grasses around it.

That might be where this started!!! So when we moved in there was maybe a half an acre, maybe an acre that was cleared, rest was just over grown brush and weeds (including where the pond is). So the pond was overgrown and I had been spraying it with brush killer to knock it down, but I had never got in there to cut the stuff out (which has been on the never ending to do list lol). So cat tails were really bad on the corner that seems to have the seep, they did die and just fall over into the pond. Im going to put some pics up.

 

[Fordtech86]

“Front” part of the pond where the pipe from the tank comes in.

Red line shows roughly where water level used to be. Was never able to see the over flow pipe in the water.



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[Fordtech86]

This is the area that stays wet. In the second pic is the left corner you can see part of a stump, thats a dead tree that outside the fence of the pond but I think I killed it when spraying the brush.


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[Poohbear]

Get you some pet ducks. They will seal it up . Keep them fed and the process is " la natural " .

 

[D2Cat]

From the pictures showing the line coming and the line going out (overflow, I guess) it doesn't show much of a "pond". Maybe one side falls off more then the others.

Maybe in your area the county regulations are pretty laxed. Here there are percolation test to determine what system can be used, taken by county employee. Then qualified, approved contractors are required to do all work and document everything and filed at the county zoning office, and all done to state specs. I'm telling you this so you don't invite someone in to get an opinion, and somehow "others" show up to see what's happening.

I would send the family on vacation, then remove the entire fence. Use something like a landscape rake and clean out all the"stuff" from the water to the fence. When it's all cleaned out put in good solid deep corner post and stretch that fence tight. Have one walk through gate.

Your seeping is probably caused by deteriorated roots. It leaves a conduit underground for water to flow. It appears where it's leaking is far away from the house and anything else. Plant a couple of willow trees 60' or so from the slimy area. An adult tree can consume a couple hundred gallons of water a day if it's available.

You may be able to reach out with your hoe and clean the edges, deepen them a bit, and in doing so seal off where the roots were. Might use soemof the bentonite there.

Yea, ducks will seal it up after a while, or hogs will pack it down in a hurry!

 

[Fordtech86]

From the pictures showing the line coming and the line going out (overflow, I guess) it doesn't show much of a "pond". Maybe one side falls off more then the others.

Maybe in your area the county regulations are pretty laxed. Here there are percolation test to determine what system can be used, taken by county employee. Then qualified, approved contractors are required to do all work and document everything and filed at the county zoning office, and all done to state specs. I'm telling you this so you don't invite someone in to get an opinion, and somehow "others" show up to see what's happening.

I would send the family on vacation, then remove the entire fence. Use something like a landscape rake and clean out all the"stuff" from the water to the fence. When it's all cleaned out put in good solid deep corner post and stretch that fence tight. Have one walk through gate.

Your seeping is probably caused by deteriorated roots. It leaves a conduit underground for water to flow. It appears where it's leaking is far away from the house and anything else. Plant a couple of willow trees 60' or so from the slimy area. An adult tree can consume a couple hundred gallons of water a day if it's available.

You may be able to reach out with your hoe and clean the edges, deepen them a bit, and in doing so seal off where the roots were. Might use soemof the bentonite there.

Yea, ducks will seal it up after a while, or hogs will pack it down in a hurry!

Thanks D2! Think you got a good idea to start (When it finally dries up here!). I didn’t think about using the rake to pull all that out. I knew I needed to get the hoe in there and dig out an island and that big stump. That pond did hold us up for about a month in buying this place, but basically what you see was good enough for here.

 

[D2Cat]

At the Antique Caterpillar Owners Club someone would organize a "Spring Fling" each year. They'd have a project and invite folks for a 3 day weekend of working their machine and building something. They'd build ponds, clean fields, anything just playing. But they got a lot done, and there was always some specialist who knew exactly how something should be done. Folks would load up their machinery and haul it 10 hours, or so, for the event. Many put up tents, some stayed in nearby towns. It became a big event.

You could organize something on a small scale by asking folks on here that want to have fun, build something, socialize. Get 4-5 guys who enjoy such stuff and have some fun. Surely there are guy on here within 75-100 miles of you! I go farther then that to buy a tractor.

You cleanup project shouldn't really cost much. The cost of some fuel and some bentonite, and maybe some corner post.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

It's amazing the difference in septic system regulations across the country.
Here that would be about as legal as just dumping raw sewage into the lakes and rivers, and yes there are people have or are still doing that up here.

I was selling a truck a year back and a guy wanted to buy some 55 gallon barrels off of me that were laying around, to use for a septic tank for his house.

This is no knock on you at all!

You have a completely different environment and weather then we do, here that would be a ice skating pond half the year, so not much oxidation would be going on!

If our ground doesn't perk here, you have to use a mound system which is really expensive to install and maintain.

I'm lucky in that I have a really good perk, thanks to lots of sand.

 

[Tughill Tom]

It's amazing the difference in septic system regulations across the country.
Here that would be about as legal as just dumping raw sewage into the lakes and rivers, and yes there are people have or are still doing that up here.

I was selling a truck a year back and a guy wanted to buy some 55 gallon barrels off of me that were laying around, to use for a septic tank for his house.

This is no knock on you at all!

You have a completely different environment and weather then we do, here that would be a ice skating pond half the year, so not much oxidation would be going on!

If our ground doesn't perk here, you have to use a mound system which is really expensive to install and maintain.

I'm lucky in that I have a really good perk, thanks to lots of sand.

I've been thinking the same thing... What the Hell is an oxidization Pond???
I was a Licensed Home Inspector and have never seen anything like that and I've seen some nightmares on the waste disposal systems side. Nothing like that in the northeast, I hope. But if it works where you'll are its all good.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

WOW... that ain't legal up here in Ontario, althought the largest 'rendering plant' in Ontario is about 1.5miles away as the crow flies...has a 'lagoon' that is HUGE ! ( google Rothsey Rendering....) Each spring they're allowed to 'drain off' into Christie Lake..sigh.. they can also pump 1million litres from the acquifer for processing.... dbl sigh.
I have a 'class 4 ' system, has 100' of weeping tile on 'Carlise Gravel', a blend of pebbles,gravel, stone ,say 1/8 to 1/2"..good for 650 GALLONS a day. Going on 30 years, zero problems....BTW I don't use 650 gallons a WEEK...
it is interesting what's allowed 'here versus there'.....
Jay

 

[Fordtech86]

It's amazing the difference in septic system regulations across the country.
Here that would be about as legal as just dumping raw sewage into the lakes and rivers, and yes there are people have or are still doing that up here.

I was selling a truck a year back and a guy wanted to buy some 55 gallon barrels off of me that were laying around, to use for a septic tank for his house.

This is no knock on you at all!

You have a completely different environment and weather then we do, here that would be a ice skating pond half the year, so not much oxidation would be going on!

If our ground doesn't perk here, you have to use a mound system which is really expensive to install and maintain.

I'm lucky in that I have a really good perk, thanks to lots of sand.

They are rather common down here. Once you get away from the city sewer its either an oxidation pond system or a treatment system. I would like to upgrade to a treatment system one day, just isn’t in the budget right now