Leaking ponds can be very frustrating exposing liner, costly top ups and damaging the ecology of you r pond. A leaking pond can leave you wondering where to start looking. Here we will detail the steps we go through to assess a leaking pond and to help a client narrow down where there leak is located. If we can locate and repair a leak the cost will be lower than a full pond re-line and re-build. We often recommend that a full pond clean is undertaken at the same time to maximise efficiency. It is important to keep in mind in hot and windy conditions evapouration can cause a suprising level of natural water loss.
Common causes of dropping water levels: Header H2
There are several common places for a water feature or pond to be leaking. These can be located either internalyl or externally and include:
Internal:
– A damaged liner.
– A water feature.
External:
– A water feature or waterfall.
– Equipment, hoses and fittings.
Steps to help locate a pond leak: Header H2
Is the leak Internal or external? Header H3
First we must determine if the leak is internal or external. If your pond has an external filtration system, pipe-work or features like a waterfall, spillway or fountain these may be the cause of the leak. The easiest way to assess if the leak is internal or external is to turn off all external pond equipment. We can mark a known level in the pond or at the edge and leave the pond for 24-48hrs. If the water level has stayed the same we know the leak is outside the pond. If it has gone down we know the leak is inside the pond.
The leak is outside the pond:
Now we have determined that he leak is outside the pond we can follow these steps to try and locate it:
1 – We must check all pipe and equipment connections that are outside the pond. We will look for drips and wet patches or water running along a surface. If a leak is found it can usually be repaired by replacing o-rings, gaskets, washers or jubilee clips. In some cases new fittings or pipes may be required.
2 – Check equipment: All equipment and components such as filter boxes must be checked for splits, cracks and damaged or perished seals. If we are unsure we can take a piece of equipment out of the system and re-test to see if the level still drops.
3 – Hoses: We must look for wet patches and expose any hoses to assess for splits, crushing or other signs of damage. A damaged pipe can be re-joined replaced or re-positioned to resolve the issue. We often upgrade all pipes at this stage if they are perished or deteriorating.
4 – Waterfall: Waterfalls can be common source of leaks if they are poorly constructed or maintained. Settling ground can crack solid structures or lower an edge and missed maintenance can lead to a blockage which can back up and over-top the lining or divert water over an edge. We check the falls itself for blockages or damage and around the edges for any signs of settlement or a low edge in the lining. In dry weather a wet patch is a good indicator. If we cannot determine where a leak is in a waterfall but are sure that this is the cause we can use a process of elimination to hone in on the problem area. We do this by pumping water through a hose to the lowest drop and seeing if the level changes in the pond if not we can move it up a section and repeat until we find the section that is causing the problem.
5 – Water features: We assess the return from a water feature to ensure it is not blocked or partially covered, that the wind direction or direction it is facing is not causing the circulating water to be returned outside of the pond.
The leak is inside the pond: Header 2
Now we have determined that the leak is inside the pond we can use these steps to try to locate it:
1 – Level: We fill the pond to the top and let the level drop. The level should stabilise at the lowest point where water is lost.
2 – Patching: We can use a variety of techniques to patch a flexible liner including pre-made patches and site specific patches made with either a mastic tape or gun mastic and flexible liner. The exact process followed depends on the type and location of the hole.
3 – Refill and Repeat: After the patch has cured we can re-fill the pond and start at stage 1 again. If the level holds we have suceeded if the level drops again we have a second leak which will need to be addressed under section 2. This process can be repeated until any and all holes have been located and repaired. We usually by-pass this stage as we can assess the liner for mutltiple holes on the first drain down although they are not always easy to find.
Leaks within a lined pond can be caused by falling branches or growing roots from within the pond e.g. some rush species or outside the pond e.g. bamboo. Age can lead to a perished liner or damaged seams; these are rarely repairable. Animals can cause holes if they fall in to a pond and have no way to get out these are typically found at the surface level. Human interaction such as dropped stones, rakes or maintenance accidents with shears and secateurs can cause holes we have even found an arrow sticking out of a liner in one instance.
If your leak is not repairable what now? Header H2
If we cannot resolve your water loss we can look at re-lining your pond. This is a good time to discuss if you would like to invest in a new pond design and build.
If you have a pond leak that you would like some help to resolve please contact us at Wye Valley Ponds to discuss how we can help you to restore your pond level.