Saturated Soil

[Mmathis]

Got our hole dug -- 4' at its deepest. At around 2.5' - 3' started getting water seepage (from saturated clay soil). Not a lot, and considering our recent rainfalls, would have expected more, and have no idea what is considered "normal." Is this going to be a problem?

 

[addy1]

if you get a bunch of water seeping in under the liner, it could lift it. Some have put a tube down the liner, to use a pump to draw excess water out, if too much collects.

 

[JCschild]

i have a leak in my last waterfall water gets under my liner and is nearly as high as the water inside the liner,
there is no way the water under that liner would lift it with water in it.

man i have got to fix that leak. took it apart 2 times maybe 3rd will be the charm.

Scott

 

[addy1]

I have seen postings of liners being lifted by water under them. Not sure of all the circumstances though.

 

[JCschild]

i also have clay (back still hurts from digging it last yr and that was after the back hoe} :sad: but at least i know the sides wont collapse.

how is that possible? i could see maybe one of those small plastic preformed that was nearly empty but an epdm liner? 80% full?
violates physics no? internal pressure is greater than external but then i have seen water do very strange things.

 

[adavisus]

Where rising water tables can do peculiar things is, it can force air bubbles to collect under a liner if the liner has a profile which allows it to collect.

Might be useful to shape a liner pond so rising air pockets forced under liners don't, lol

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/
http://swglist.wordpress.com/

 

[fishin4cars]

Andy is correct, forming a bowl for the air to escape and allow the water to slowly seap back into the soil is the first thing you should take into consideration. Second make sure that all rain run off flows back away from the pond. another approach I have seen used is placing a pit in the bottom of the pond, filling it with sand or pea gravel and putting extra backing down to protect the liner, this will help draw the water into the soil as well.

 

[Mmathis]

Larkin, explain about the "bowl" for air/water....

Far as we can tell (not counting the major rainfall we just had), it's just a little seepage from already rainsoaked soil. It seemed only at around 2-3 feet down. Not our water table (at least in NW LA, we're above sea level ). And if that was the worst it would ever get, hoping it dry before it had a chance to collect.

But still VERY open to input, please!!!