Cannot find leak! Plan B

[James_Pond]

I have a leak somewhere around the edge of my pond. I thought I'd found it, but alas, not. I cannot for the life of me find where the water is escaping from. I've been round the edge of the water line with my fingertips looking and feeling for the slightest hole or tear and nothing. I've taken every rock out of the pond and still nothing.

So, I'm thinking of cutting a strip of liner (I have spare in the garage) and just putting a big patch along as much of the edge as I can in the hope of covering it, wherever it is.

Any other suggestions?

The water is receeding by about an inch or so, but it's always to the same level.

 

[CeeJayH]

James,
are you sure it's not just evaporation? The level in my pond can drop by small increments over a few days when we have a dry spell.

 

[James_Pond]

I've considered that but it tends to drop about an inch over little more than a day and always stops at the same level.

 

[DeepWater]

Is your avatar image the picture of your pond? Is that a waterfall on the right side coming into the pond? is it a single liner, or a second liner overlapping the pond liner?

 

[James_Pond]

Is your avatar image the picture of your pond? Is that a waterfall on the right side coming into the pond? is it a single liner, or a second liner overlapping the pond liner?

It is my pond. But that's not a waterfall. That is where i think the leak is though i cant find it.

 

[DeepWater]

can you post a few pictures?

 

[James_Pond]

This picture is a few weeks old. I thought i had found the leak on the back edge, hence all the liner is pulled out. I've since tidied that up a bit and it's not playing ball. I'll take a more up to date picture tomorrow as I'll be home.

 

[Tula]

If it were my pond, I'd keep looking for the leak, especially as the water levels off after an inch or so.

 

[budgenator]

Sometimes moist soil will help you narrow down the location, but that pictures looks pretty damp from spring thaw. You might not find it until drier weather.

 

[James_Pond]

Sometimes moist soil will help you narrow down the location, but that pictures looks pretty damp from spring thaw. You might not find it until drier weather.

Yes. I was out at the weekend and the ground was pretty wet all round so I was hoping that once it dries out I can then at least over fill it and see where it's coming out. Hopefully.

 

[CometKeith]

I doubt it's a leak if it stops at the same level. Looking at how uneven your liner is by the rocks I would say there is a low spot on the liner and water spills over in that spot. I recommend that you berm the ground at the edges of your pond and wrap your liner over the berm to avoid water spilling out. You can put rocks around the berm to make it look natural. My last pond the water never went above a certain height because of low spots. My new pond because I leveled the top and spread the liner out a lot the water just keeps going up and up from a hard rain until it overflows.

 

[Usman]

we cant see ur pond clearly if few pics , can give u more ideas , yes one trick is watching damp soil ,
other thing i try is raising high each side one by one eg if water stops at x spot 2 inch below , then raise one side x spot 6inch above and place some bricks to help it lift , then fill it again and see if it drops then try next side , which ever side has puncture while lifted above will not lower water level then narrow it do with each feet separately

other thing u can do is check all the border carefully if any corner is dipping or any external soil ,plant etc is in contact with ur water that can activate capillary action too , increase the gap between water and outer soil ,increase height of border , usualy if leak is under 5 inch level these 2 things are happening

 

[MitchM]

I would really suggest going around the whole pond perimeter and building up a proper berm.

 

[James_Pond]

I would really suggest going around the whole pond perimeter and building up a proper berm.

That was my plan. But I don't want to put all the work in until I've found the leak.

 

[James_Pond]

I wanted to find the leak before i fix all of this. But the edge of the liner is definitely above the water line.