I think I have a leak!!!

[lamby]

Last week, we noticed the level in our pond had dropped significantly. We added more water, but now I believe it is still dropping and worry that it could be due to a leak in the liner. Is there any way to tell where that leak is, and then patch it? It's a big pond (about 7,000 gallons), so replacing the entire liner would be very expensive.

 

[ChrisP]

Do you have a waterfall or stream? If so, check around it - look for damp soil or places where water could be going over the top.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

First, isolate the general location of the leak (waterfall or pond basin) Fill the pond, mark water level, turn off waterfall for 24 hours, check water level. If it has dropped the leak is in the pond basin. If the water level is unchanged, the leak is likely somewhere in the waterfall.

 

[sissy]

Did you check your hoses ,after winter they can crack and leak and check all your fittings to see if they are tight .Any wet location like said tends to be a leak .

 

[lamby]

I first noticed a drop in water level following a very well-meaning person moving some big heavy rocks around. He was using them to create a nice rock garden in another area. When I asked how on earth he managed to move them he told me he used a shovel! He said he was very careful, but it's since then that the water level dropped. At first, I put it down to a spell of warm dry weather but now I'm noticing that the pond dye I added just a few days ago is already diluted and I think that the auto-fill has been running non-stop. I've turned off the auto-fill and am going to watch to see if the level drops.

We don't have any streams or waterfalls. I'm thinking that even if the shovel didn't actually puncture the liner, just dislodging such big heavy rocks which have been in place for many years could create a split in the liner.

 

[morewater]

Turn off your auto-fill. Let it leak until it doesn't leak any more. Go around the perimeter of the pond and look for a hole or a tear. Water will only leak from a liner until it reaches the level of the puncture.

Liners are easy to patch, not a big deal. Poop occurs.