Leak, wicking or evaporation?

[Scottp]

Hi everyone! It has been great to read all your helpful posts. I have a waterfall, stream, and pond that I just built this summer. The stream is about 65 feet and the pond is about 7x7’
The first 4 days (last week) the water level dropped maybe 1” in the pond, then the 5th day it dropped 3” in a day. I am worried that I have a leak and haven’t put all the rocks in until I am sure. I’m in park city, utah at about 6500 ft. How do I know? Thank you!!

 

[GBBUDD]

The first issue I see that may be your problem is the non woven fabric I believe I see it running right up to the top edge in the stream if so that's a leaker. It will whick water up and out of the stream. Even your rocks can whick water. Its just a matter of how high can it lift the water. I know hard to understand but even rubber that absolutely does nor absorb water can whick water up as much. As a 1 1/2" between a fold in the rubber.

 

[Scottp]

The first issue I see that may be your problem is the non woven fabric I believe I see it running right up to the top edge in the stream if so that's a leaker. It will whick water up and out of the stream. Even your rocks can whick water. Its just a matter of how high can it lift the water. I know hard to understand but even rubber that absolutely does nor absorb water can whick water up as much. As a 1 1/2" between a fold in the rubber.

So I should fold down the fabric lower 1 1-2”, from the top of the rubber. I was worried about elk, deer and moose that come around sometimes but the water level isn’t that high anyway so I’ll start there. I don’t quite understand what to do with the rubber liner and how to prevent wicking.

 

[GBBUDD]

If you have those types of animals your anticipating unless you bought 8 oz minimal there hoves can cut right through it. I don't think I'd use rubber in that area not unless I was using big boulders and or bury it under 6 inches of sand or more.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi everyone! It has been great to read all your helpful posts. I have a waterfall, stream, and pond that I just built this summer. The stream is about 65 feet and the pond is about 7x7’
The first 4 days (last week) the water level dropped maybe 1” in the pond, then the 5th day it dropped 3” in a day. I am worried that I have a leak and haven’t put all the rocks in until I am sure. I’m in park city, utah at about 6500 ft. How do I know? Thank you!!

Hi and welcome to GPF! Do you think the leak is your pond or your stream? It’s very common to lose an inch a day in most ponds in the summer. I would guess you could also lose at least that much with a long stream due to evaporation. Is there anyway you could turn off your stream and see if the pond is going down a lot by itself? The more you can isolate the problem the easier it will be to fix it.

 

[Scottp]

Thank you so much. I don’t quite understand what to do with the rubber liner and how to prevent it from wicking. I will also turn off the pump and see if the pond is going down. If not, it may be the fabric and the length of the stream.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! We’re familiar with Park City, but sad that there may not be a ski season 2020/2021. Where are you located in PC?

 

[Scottp]

Hi! We are hopeful for a ski season this year...
We are in the Jerry Ranch area.

 

[Mmathis]

Hi! We are hopeful for a ski season this year...
We are in the Jerry Ranch area.

Do you mean “Jeremy Ranch”? Do you ski?

 

[Scottp]

Do you mean “Jeremy Ranch”? Do you ski?

Yes jeremy - it autocorrected for some reason !

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

I add water every day, about 180 gallons, I have a auto add and we are on a well. If I did not the pond would be low every day. Between the stream (85feet) the bog, the heat etc a lot of water goes away every day.

The hot tub pond also looses water, about 2 inches every few days, with the heat sun etc.

 

[j.w]

@Scottp

 

[GBBUDD]

Thank you so much. I don’t quite understand what to do with the rubber liner and how to prevent it from wicking. I will also turn off the pump and see if the pond is going down. If not, it may be the fabric and the length of the stream.

A blast of waterfall foam in the fold . Or make sure the edge is higher then a few inches