keeping a pond full

cchoate · Nov 28, 2002

The pond is man-made but the first 2 summers it stayed full with moderate rain. Other ponds in my area all have had the same problem. When you guys say dam, is that the over-flow? I do have a good one but I don't see any evidence of it leaking.
The pond used to be crick-fed (by diverting from a natural overflow) but the town built a new bridge so now it flows alot swifter and dosen't reach the overflow.

lloydp · Nov 28, 2002

Web site for Bentonite that Bird and BB TX were talking about. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.texassodiumbentonite.com/>http://www.texassodiumbentonite.com/</A>

Looks like it can be applied without draining the water, but I don't see how you could get a very even layer.

Lloyd

Robert_in_NY · Nov 28, 2002

If you dump it in and spread it around by dumping some all the way around the pond it will disperse in the water and settle out on the pond floor and walls giving a nice layer.

DCJL · Nov 29, 2002

I used pelletized betonite that was relatively evenly spread with a large hand held seeder that costs about $30 in a good tractor/garden store. It certainly worked well. To get the best seepage control, follow the betonite with a layer of spread sand, it packs the betonite down.

Von · Nov 29, 2002

Will the betonite work in a temporary pond. I have an icerink in my back yard that is 90' x 145' and is grass all year untill the winter. This all slopes to the back corner and I have a 8" drain pipe in it. I just put the plug in, in the fall and catch the rain water. But I have a few leaks and was wondering if the betonite would work to stop the leaks, but still let grass grow in the summer? Thanks for any info on this.

DCJL · Nov 29, 2002

My guess would be not. The betonite forms a kinda thick sludgey claylike surface that would probably choke the grass. I may be wrong, but I would not want to try it on my grass.

Bird · Nov 29, 2002

Von, since I've never actually used the stuff myself, only checked into the possibility of using it to seal a pond on my place and one on my brother's place, I can't say for sure, but from what I found out about it, I agree with DCJL. It's a type of clay that shrinks when dry and swells when wet (if I remember right, it's the same stuff that's used as "drilling mud" when drilling oil wells) and I don't think you'd want it on your grass.

Von · Nov 29, 2002

Bird, Do you think I could put a layer of it down, and then place 2-4" of top soil on top of it? Then plant the grass seed in the top layer. Would this work or not? Also what does it cost and how much do you need down to make a water tight layer of it? Thanks for your replies.

Bird · Nov 29, 2002

Von, I think that would work, but keep in mind that I'm speculating on something I know very little about. It's been at least 6 or 7 years ago when I checked into it and decided it was just too expensive for us to use on our ponds. And if I remember right, about a quarter inch was all they claimed was necessary to seal a pond. However, there are several types or varieties of bentonite, and I just don't remember which type that was that a company in east Texas could provide. You might want to look at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.texassodiumbentonite.com/index.htm>this link</A> for a little more information, and of course, if you do a search for "bentonite" on google.com, you'll probably find more than you want to know (or have time to read)./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I really doubt that you're going to want to use the stuff.