Is This A Leak or Evaporation?

[elizabeths]

Hi Folks,

Background:
My pond is approx 1100 gallons, and about 12 feet diameter and knee high. There is a epdm liner. The oase pump is connected via a hose to an external bio filter that falls back into the pond. And we live in Virginia, so we do have high temperatures in the summer.

There is an old bottom drain at the bottom that we never use.

What happens is that after I top off the pond with the garden hose, the water level drops down 3 or 4 inches by the next day. The water level just always drops to below the rocks that edge the pond.

Is this a leak or just evaporation?

How many inches of water is normal evaporation loss - during a summer day or any day?

thanks!

 

[Telkwa]

If it drops that initial 3 to 4 inches overnite, then the drop slows way down, I'd sure think that there has to be a leak somewhere. Just based on the info you posted. It'd be hard to describe every twist and turn of your pond, of course.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

I'm with the redskin. 3-4" overnight is surely not evaporation. Maybe that is as full as it is supposed to get? I have a shortr stream, 2 waterfalls, but my pond (14 X 10) loses only about 1/4 to 1/3 inch, even on a very hot, dry day in South Carolina.

Does the leak stop at that level? "Old bottom drain" sounds like a possible leak to me.

 

[addy1]

If you can, don't refill until it gets to it lowest point, unless of course it is the bottom drain.
From what you are saying it sounds like it stops at the rocks
"The water level just always drops to below the rocks that edge the pond."
So most likely the liner is low somewhere under the rocks. Look for a wet spot moving some of the rocks. You should be able to find it and build the liner up at that point.

Now if continues to leak lower than that and at that rate, it might be the bottom drain.

Keep us posted.

We have had temperatures in the 90's all summer, our pond, not running yet, but with water doesn't even lose enough water to need to be topped off.
28feetx 20 feet or so

 

[DrCase]

That sounds like a leak to me

 

[Oldhead]

Sounds like you have a leak in those rocks to me