How to Repair Farm Ponds

To repair a farm pond, you need to figure out exactly what's wrong.

A farm pond is a vital resource for individuals in the agricultural business. For growers, ponds are an important safety net to buffer against drought and lack of water resources. For livestock farmers, they are a natural source of hydration and heat protection for animals. The nature of a pond is simple: It holds water. Almost any farm pond repair, then, will be directed at fixing a failure to hold water. Leaks can be relatively easy to fix, whereas broken banks or dams can be tougher, but in either case the process takes just a little hard work.

Things You'll Need

• Water pump
• Tamper
• Bulldozer
• Clay or bentonite
• Chemical sealant
• Pond liner

Instructions

1. Determine the exact problem. A broken dam should be easy enough to spot, but leaks can be elusive. Fill the pond to capacity and then monitor the water levels daily to figure out if you have a leak or a problem with water runoff not making it to the pond. If there is a leak, the pond will characteristically lose water rapidly up to a certain point, and then retain water very well.

2. Drain the pond in the event of a broken dam. Use several truckloads of heavy clay soil to fill the gap, then use the bulldozer and tamper to compact the soil. Do not allow the pond water to fill right away; instead plant erosion control plants on the rear side of the dam and introduce any other measures necessary to reinforce the overall structure. Once these have taken root, you can allow the pond to fill.

3. Use bentonite or a chemical sealant (obtained at your local agricultural supply store) and do a surface application if you have concluded that a leak is your problem. In some cases, you may not have to drain the water. Small leaks can be treated by sprinkling these substances on the water surface and allowing them to drift toward the bottom, where they will fill any leaks or crevices.

4. Line the pond with a plastic pond liner if the pond routinely develops leaks. This is common where ponds are dug in well-drained, organic soils that are free from clay deposits. The better a soil is for plant growth, the worse it is for pond water retention. If this is the case in your situation, you'll have to drain the water completely and then line it with plastic. Otherwise, you'll find yourself repairing the pond year in and year out.

References

• Penn State School of Forest Resources: Fixing a Leaking Pond
• Natural Waterscapes: Pond Leak/Lake Leak Repair
• Pond Doctor: Leaking Pond or Drop in Pond Water Level