Building Lake Corona

[jk96]

Yard stick is in. I'll check it over the next several days to see what the loss rate is. With temps in the low to mid 70s for highs this week I would think most loss will be due to seepage and not evaporation. At this point unless the yardstick is showing a lot of loss my plan is to work on stabilizing the hillsides and soil and getting cover to take hold to prevent erosion into the pond. After that hopefully verify enough increased watershed. If that goes well I will probably drain the pond and muck it out before letting it fill. Now would actually be a good time to muck it out I just worry about how much soil erosion is going to go into the pond before I can get some good cover growing. Also looking at my high waterline back toward the beginning of July before we hit this drought it looks like I have lost about 24 to 30" over the last 3 months so between a 1/4 to 1/3" per day.

Screenshot_20241014_164802_Gallery

 

[EddieWalker]

I can't even count how many times I've been to Home Depot in the last month, and I have never seen a yard stick there!!!!!

 

[jk96]

I can't even count how many times I've been to Home Depot in the last month, and I have never seen a yard stick there!!!!!

A couple of employees had no clue either. I wondered around and found them in the paint department by the longer stir sticks.

 

[ponytug]

A couple of employees had no clue either. I wondered around and found them in the paint department by the longer stir sticks.

Yeah, it took me years to find them. When I have asized employees lately, mostly they pull out their inventory gizmo and check on the web for the aisle and bin number. I've quit asking. Paraphrasing Johnson; Two kinds of knowledge, that which you know, and that which you know where to look up.

I hope that the pond fills better now; I do wonder about the extent to which tree roots will be water stealers.

Way back when, I remember reading that the local practice was to put straw down on the earth surface of new ponds to help stop leaks. It always stuck in memory because it wasn't obvious why it might work, and then again wasn't obvious why it might not help.

All the best,

Peter

 

[dodge man]

The temps are cooler but if your area is similar to western Illinois the humidity is low which will increase the evaporation.

 

[jk96]

The temps are cooler but if your area is similar to western Illinois the humidity is low which will increase the evaporation.

I'll check this weekend and update where the water level is at. Problem is I really don't have a clue what an acceptable loss rate would be.

 

[ponytug]

I'll check this weekend and update where the water level is at. Problem is I really don't have a clue what an acceptable loss rate would be.

County agent?

I think a bunch of factors can go into it, including how new the pond is, soil permeability, sun & wind exposure, local water table, drainage distance to trees, etc. Somebody who has experience with ponds in your local conditions probably has a much better idea.

Armchair quarterbacking from a long way away, I suspect you have a leakage to the trees or into the subsoil, but some of it may just be a new pond. Here, where the relative humidity is much lower, we don't see the same sort of losses that you are seeing. Local ranching methods are to make livestock ponds in small draws to carry cattle over through the dry season.

Have you thought of spreading some bentonite as a sealant?

All the best,

Peter

 

[jk96]

Checked the water level this evening. In 4 days I have lost exactly 7/8 of an inch so a little less than a quarter inch per day. Temps in the'70s and 2 days with lots of wind. Humidity in the low 20s so I know some of that is evaporation. Doesn't mean it's not leaking at higher water levels but that rate is consistant with what I've lost since July.

 

[EddieWalker]

Probably too early to tell, but it's good to know what's happening. You'll figure out a pattern that's either natural, or not. Hope it's just evaporation.

I'm not monitoring my ponds right now, but we haven't had any rain in over a month and my ponds are both slowly going down. I'd be surprised if it was an inch a week, but temps have been in the 80's with a few days in the mid 90's

 

[dodge man]

I Googled pond evaporation rates and found 1 to 3 inches per week. There are lots variables involved but your loss rate seems within reason for evaporation rates.