Pond loses about 6" of water within an hour of switching on

[Vicki in Washington State]

Shovel's retired. Rent me an excavator, though, and I'll be there for as long as you want me.

@Vicki in Washington State, if the water loss happens only when you turn on the pump, the leak really has to be either in the plumbing or the waterfall/stream. And the amount of loss you're talking about I think would produce a pretty noticeable wet spot with a little investigation.

How big is your stream? And how big is the pond? Small pond + big stream could mean much of that water "loss" is actually just water in motion. But I guess you'd know that already if you've operated this system for a few years now?

Yeah, the water loss only happened after we bought another pump. The pond is about 850 gallons, stream is about 25' long from top to the pond below. I think, if I remember right, the pond is about 6' x 6' and about 6' deep. It's very frustrating. I don't know where the plumbing is...probably right below the stream! No, I think it might be either the falls or the plumbing, sorry to say. I'll have to keep hunting for the cause until the Winter! LOL

 

[j.w]

Not bad at all! But if the birds can fly through it, then the netting is too large and the leaves will get through as well. That defeats the purpose for me! Nice pictures, thanks for sharing! Maybe I can think of a way to put smaller netting up with fence posts to keep the leaves out! Thanks!!

Yep you see that Red Japanese Maple tree by the pond. It puts leaves right into the pond but I was thinking of just laying some smaller holed netting right there in that corner top and fastening it down tight to see if it would stop the leaves from getting in. Gonna give it a try this Fall. I could take it off after the leaves all fall off. You could always get the wide holed net and then in the fall throw the small holed one over the top and take yours off too when the leaves are done.

 

[combatwombat]

I don't know where the plumbing is...probably right below the stream!

It's often buried in the berm right next to the pond/stream edge. But you never know.

No, I think it might be either the falls or the plumbing, sorry to say.

How does water exit the plumbing and enter the stream? If you can access the plumbing, try adding a temporary pipe to the end and diverting water right back to the pond, bypassing the stream. That will tell you if the leak is in the plumbing or the stream.

 

[poconojoe]

Are you sure you are losing water?

When the water level drops 6" in an hour, does it keep dropping beyond the hour or dies it stop at that point?


It can also be that you are not actually losing water but instead displacing water to the stream and it appears as a loss in the pond.
Remember, the stream will hold a decent amount of water in itself. So if the pump is off, theres no water in the stream and there will be more water in your pond. Once you turn the pump back on, water from the pond will get displaced into the stream mimicking a water loss in the pond.

If that is not the case and you are actually losing water, oftentimes water loss can be from a waterfall or a stream, but can also be the plumbing itself.

The best thing is to isolate each one individually to determine which is the culprit.

Can you possibly disconnect the pump output and run a temporary hose to each feature one at a time to determine the culprit?

For example, if your stream is fed first and that feeds the waterfall then feeds the pond, maybe skip the stream and just feed the falls.
If you still have water loss, take the falls out of the equation and feed the water directly into the pond. If you still have water loss, it's the pond leaking.

 

[Vicki in Washington State]

I would think that with losing that much water in an hour, that you should be able to find an area that is pretty saturated without having to dig up all the plumbing. I totally understand not wanting to dig. I'm coming up to 67 and my diggers aren't as strong as they used to be.

Thanks, my hands aren't as strong as they used to be and also my back isn't as good either. I should have taken better care of my body when I was younger! LOL (and I have't found any saturated dirt , so....)

Yep you see that Red Japanese Maple tree by the pond. It puts leaves right into the pond but I was thinking of just laying some smaller holed netting right there in that corner top and fastening it down tight to see if it would stop the leaves from getting in. Gonna give it a try this Fall. I could take it off after the leaves all fall off. You could always get the wide holed net and then in the fall throw the small holed one over the top and take yours off too when the leaves are done.

Yeah, I saw that Lace Leaf Maple and thought, mine drops a ton of leaves! I don't have my Lace Leaf Maple at my pond but with the wind here in the Columbia River Gorge, you have no idea how fierce the wind is! Unless I would cover it with very small netting or a tarp, there is a very strong chance I would have leaves in there! You have no idea.....we have approx 9 acres and there are so many leaves!! Well that is all I have to comment on right now. Got to go and pull weeds!!!!! (a curse, brought upon myself 14 yrs ago when I was younger) I never thought when I built all the flower beds and planted all the plants and flowers I would get OLD and stiff trying to just keep up with it! LOL silly me.

 

[GBBUDD]

Silly human when young we think only the sick get to the point of not being able to manage simple weed wracking or pushing the lawn .over. well I. Fortunate I'm polish and already made a mount for the weed whacked on the zero turn. It works great to cut stuff down but ok it might scalp the surface . It's weeds and grass it will grow back faster then I'd wish.

 

[Vicki in Washington State]

Silly human when young we think only the sick get to the point of not being able to manage simple weed wracking or pushing the lawn .over. well I. Fortunate I'm polish and already made a mount for the weed whacked on the zero turn. It works great to cut stuff down but ok it might scalp the surface . It's weeds and grass it will grow back faster then I'd wish.

Yes, we have a zero turn and it was the best investment ever!! But it won't go into the flower beds and weed around my roses and other plants. Well it will, but I wouldn't want to do that, LOL

 

[GBBUDD]

ah what's a Knick here and there they grow back

 

[addy1]

I never thought when I built all the flower beds and planted all the plants and flowers I would get OLD and stiff trying to just keep up with it! LOL silly me.

roflaughing.................... My yard is so out of control I am waiting for winter for all to die and try again next year. Losing the use of my left arm for many months did not help. Left hand still gives me issues, now surgery on my right and left to fix bad carpal tunnel more lack of use. My broken wrist doc tested me for carpal tunnel after I told him of the pain I have every night, found out I have it bad in both hands, right worse than left. I always blamed it on osteoarthritis, which I do have. Never knew you could lose the use of your hands if not fixed.

Come on winter! kill the weeds lol

Good thing I am so not OCD about weeds, look at them and think the wild bees, bugs love the weed flowers.....................

I am going to pay a good friend some good money to help me do a cut back once everything dies back. Chop job! on all the bushes, etc that are just toooooo big now. And it will be cooler!

 

[SarahT]

roflaughing.................... My yard is so out of control I am waiting for winter for all to die and try again next year. Losing the use of my left arm for many months did not help. Left hand still gives me issues, now surgery on my right and left to fix bad carpal tunnel more lack of use. My broken wrist doc tested me for carpal tunnel after I told him of the pain I have every night, found out I have it bad in both hands, right worse than left. I always blamed it on osteoarthritis, which I do have. Never knew you could lose the use of your hands if not fixed.

Come on winter! kill the weeds lol

Good thing I am so not OCD about weeds, look at them and think the wild bees, bugs love the weed flowers.....................

I am going to pay a good friend some good money to help me do a cut back once everything dies back. Chop job! on all the bushes, etc that are just toooooo big now. And it will be cooler!

I couldn't figure out whether to add the sad face or laughing face. Addy, my broken wrist was "almost completely well" after a year, and after 18 months, no more twinges. I did 2X daily strength and flexibility exercises to accomplish that. Good luck on the carpals.
So let the bugs and bees enjoy the weeds, and enjoy taking some pix of the friends cutting the jungle growth in the cooler fall.

 

[addy1]

Addy, my broken wrist was "almost completely well" after a year, and after 18 months, no more twinges

My main issue is the hand to the side and lifting like a coffee pot, it is still very painful. Doc said since the one bone longer than the other that is why, have a curve at the wrist hand connection, permanent lol. Working on reducing that issue.

I couldn't figure out whether to add the sad face or laughing face.

Laughing is good, best way to handle it all. I have kept it a bit under control with a random pretend chop down. Keeping a path to the ponds. Mowing has been no issue.

Getting out of bee keeping, selling all has been a real help. I have slowly loss my helper, early onset alzheimer, still functional but.............

 

[Mmathis]

@Vicki in Washington State If you’ve already said, I apologize for not paying attention……but how big is your pond?

 

[addy1]

The pond is about 850 gallons, stream is about 25' long from top to the pond below. I think, if I remember right, the pond is about 6' x 6' and about 6' deep.

@Mmathis this is what she said