How to Plug a Leaking Farm Pond
- 1). Drain the pond fully using the pump and hose and allow the soil to dry until optimum compaction moisture is achieved. Soil compaction can be determined by pressing a handful of soil into a ball. If the soil crumbles, it is too dry. If water leaks out of the ball, it is too wet.
- 2). Clear the pond area of all trees and stumps filling any holes. Disk or rake the top 8 to 10 inches of soil, removing any rocks or tree roots that are disturbed during this process.
- 3). Apply powdered bentonite over the soil surface at a rate of 1 to 3 lbs. per square foot. Coarse soil should receive the heaviest application rates.
- 4). Disk in the bentonite clay to a depth of 6 inches, again removing any rocks or tree roots.
- 5). Compact the soil under proper moisture conditions using the sheepsfoot roller. Four to six passes of the roller should be sufficient to compact the soil to a depth of 8 inches, which is sufficient for a water depth of 10 feet. If the pond water depth is greater than 10 feet, soil may need to be compacted in layers to achieve a compaction of 8 inches per layer with two or more layers.
- 6). Protect treated areas from drying by mulching with hay during the final compaction stage.
- 7). Fill the pond. Bentonite will swell from eight to 20 times its original volume to seal pores between soil particles.