Leaking bog

[bobchapman]

I have a 11' x 7' bog. 2' deep, filled with gravel. The water level has suddenly dropped 6' during a week while we were away. Fortunately it was only being fed by the pond skimmer, so the pond level couldn't go down far enough to kill the fish!

Here's my question: with nearly 40' circumference of the bog, is there a good way to find the leak. I assume that it is at the level of the bog water, but 40 linear feet of pulling the gravel back and searching for the hole or tear somehow doesn't sound like a pleasant experience. Any better ideas on how to find the problem?

Thanks for any ideas.

Bob

 

[Lisak1]

Some photos of your bog might help. I'm assuming you meant the level went down 6 inches. How long has this bog been running? Is it full of plants?

My first two thoughts would be:
1. check the plumbing lines for leaks, especially at the connections, and
2. look for a low edge. It's very VERY common for a plant to breach the liner and push down an edge enough to let water escape.

 

[GBBUDD]

Push along the edges for softer areas.
Leave the bog shut down . Run air to the pond at a minimum. And let the water drop in the bog once it stops your leak will be at that level but there could be more above that point. But like @Lisak1 said its often a weak edge that got pushed down or water wicking between folds in the rubber.