Water Loss

[whittwhittg]

Howdy everyone! We're in northern Minnesota, which is in the middle of a drought. Daily temps are around 80-90 degrees every day and fairly sunny. We're seeing around an 1.5 inches of water loss in our swimming pond every day and are curious how much of this is due to evaporation and how much is potentially linked to a leak somewhere.

It's around 400 sqft, 6.5 feet deep. The entire waterfall decline is about 20ft, we've fixed the splashing at the end of the waterfall best we can (as we've read that splashing can cause significant water loss as well). We've using a 45x35ft tarp, I believe it's 30 mil, so fairly strong. I'll attach some pictures of it for you guys and I'd love any info on this! The picture of the 'standing water' on the waterfall was just a picture I took when the pump was turned off, that water is usually flowing. We don't want to have to drain it and look for holes if there's alternate options, or if other people are seeing a pretty significant loss in water as well. Thanks!

 

[GBBUDD]

Welcome tot he forum.
I can see some areas of concern
Where ever your tarp/ liner has abrupt lines or outlines and hard edges thats a sign that the fabric is to small or thin to be doing the job or that there is no fabric that was placed before the liner.

secondly the liner is being stretched from the looks of the picture this is equally not the best as it can cut the liner over time and settling.

Third is rock on the liner with no fabric i know it doesn't look like there is a lot of rock but i prefer to have fabric protecting the liner

 

[j.w]

@whittwhittg

 

[Jhn]

What is that tarp liner made of looks like it isn’t epdm. Most use epdm or hdrpe for liners, which are pretty tough. However, as @GBBUDD said if you are rocking your pond you should put non woven filter fabric over the liner to protect it, rocks even the round ones can cut through liner, especially if there is any sharp or rough objects under the liner and it rests on it,

80-90 degrees isn’t that hot, you shouldn’t be losing 1.5” a day in my mind. My pond (20k gallons)doesn’t lose that much on 100 degree days with 3 waterfalls, an urn that has water cascading over it on to rocks above the pond. Shut the waterfall down and see if the water still drops an inch and a half in 24 hrs, if it doesn’t the leak it is in the waterfall, which could be escaping from a low side or something rather than an actual hole.

 

[brokensword]

What is that tarp liner made of looks like it isn’t epdm. Most use epdm or hdrpe for liners, which are pretty tough. However, as @GBBUDD said if you are rocking your pond you should put non woven filter fabric over the liner to protect it, rocks even the round ones can cut through liner, especially if there is any sharp or rough objects under the liner and it rests on it,

80-90 degrees isn’t that hot, you shouldn’t be losing 1.5” a day in my mind. My pond (20k gallons)doesn’t lose that much on 100 degree days with 3 waterfalls, an urn that has water cascading over it on to rocks above the pond. Shut the waterfall down and see if the water still drops an inch and a half in 24 hrs, if it doesn’t the leak it is in the waterfall, which could be escaping from a low side or something rather than an actual hole.

hey @Jhn ; I have a request--if you have time, could you do a vid (phone, I suppose) of your entire pond by walking around the whole perimeter? I didn't realize you had 20K and would like to see it. And of course, inform your DBTs to be at their best if/when you do this, okay?

No rush, I can wait a day or two!

 

[GBBUDD]

DBT ? IS THAT THE NEXT Group we all need to fear respect and marvel at there stupidity?

 

[Jhn]

hey @Jhn ; I have a request--if you have time, could you do a vid (phone, I suppose) of your entire pond by walking around the whole perimeter? I didn't realize you had 20K and would like to see it. And of course, inform your DBTs to be at their best if/when you do this, okay?

No rush, I can wait a day or two!

i hardly take pics now you want vids…sheesh…..I’ll have to see what I can do….dam right on the phone

 

[Jhn]

DBT ? IS THAT THE NEXT Group we all need to fear respect and marvel at there stupidity?

Now you insulting turtles….they aren’t the brightest but just calling them out like that….too far, they are sensitive after all. no idea what that blue guy is

 

[Stephen Noble]

Welcome! Probably a leak somewhere but given a drought and hot weather all you need is a steady wind. Couple those three and losing 1.5 inches per day is possible.

 

[brokensword]

Now you insulting turtles….they aren’t the brightest but just calling them out like that….too far, they are sensitive after all. no idea what that blue guy is

but...but...I was just lifting them up, @Jhn ! I thought they'd LIKE being the stars of turtledom, don'tcha know??? I just thought it'd be rude to go around videoing DBTs lounging in their pjs instead of their cotillion finery that we all know they possess!!

You know, don't you, they have some real nice GoPro knockoffs (WITH underwater cases included) that you can get for a song, now, right??? I heartily endorse this plan of action for you. Hell, might even have @addy1 start a whole new page for a GoFundMe for you, to help with the purchase!! And since @GBBUDD lives in your neck of the woods, maybe we can roust his azzz long enough to take the hog on over and he can demo whatever you end up with!! Think of all the enhanced videopictorials of jhn's pond we'd have then!!

{insert smirky smilie, here}

 

[Mmathis]

All those rocks (while not a bad thing to have in the pond) will greatly contribute to evaporation. It’s a surface area thing.

 

[GBBUDD]

Now you insulting turtles….they aren’t the brightest but just calling them out like that….too far, they are sensitive after all. no idea what that blue guy is

I was asking what it was, i don't see how you get turtles out of DBT DUMB BOXY THINGS i don't know , told yea more then once not into abreviations or any such to many to remember

 

[brokensword]

I was asking what it was, i don't see how you get turtles out of DBT DUMB BOXY THINGS i don't know , told yea more then once not into abreviations or any such to many to remember

LOL!!!!!

 

[GBBUDD]

no idea what that blue guy is

looks like a LBTQ DBT to me

 

[brokensword]

looks like a LBTQ DBT to me

dayum you're on fire today, GB!