Small Water Table Pond - losing too much water

Hi, the frogs in my garden pond are most concerned and have raised the following questions and suggestions.

If it is truly a 'water table pond' the nprsumably the water table is dropping either due to reduced rainfall, increased extraction or drainage/modification of the surrounding area.

Are you sure it's a water table pond and not just a 'dew pond'/natural drainage pond?

Does it have any sort of lining eg puddled clay, or an artificial liner?

What is your local rainfall level like? Can you divert runoff from your roof into the pond?

We have a small garden pond and I've diverted the runoff from a flat roof extension into a waterbutt, the overflow from which then goes to the pond...a win win arrangement.

Thanks for the reply.

I do think it is truly a water table pond, one that a previous owner dug by hand. I do think it is losing water because we have had so little rain, yet I'm worried that soon there won't be enough water for the life to continue. I do not see any sign of a liner or clay.

I could think about the possibility of diverting the runoff from the roof, though the pond is pretty far from the house.

The Frogs have had their say...it's my turn now!

Maybe the pipe is an outlet for a pump & filter arrangement, maybe there is a filter box under the rocks?...this sounds all rather man made..in which case it's probably the old liner degrading and leaking.

Our pond was in that state when we moved in 10 yrs ago, it got so dry that the foxes ate the fish...(natures way of recycling, as the foxes then had cubs!), we dug it out enlarged it, fitted a new rubber liner, (using old carpet under the liner).

It is a joy now and I consider myself the ruler of this peacefull little aquatic world populated by my froggly subjects...and by some fish which are the offspring of fish which I caught as a kid and put in my parent's pond.

Good luck with it...ponds are just soooo good.

I actually pulled all the piping up this afternoon...I had to see what was going on. There was a long, long (probably 20 feet) of piping that extended to the middle of the pond...and at the end was a rather old, beat-up sub-pump with an electrical cord wrapped around it. I guess this was simply to circulate the water.

Thanks again...

Circulate it where? Sounds more like the little water hole was meant to be a fountain type water feature? Of maybe aeration for fish? That was abandoned...as many fishtanks/Koi ponds always seem to be?

I would start by asking why it was abandoned. Maybe the land records might give some clues: Was the land grazed? Owned by persons of Asian extraction? Things like that. Having a pump/fountain for aeration suggests the installer wanted to oxygenate an otherwise stagnant reservoir. Are the animals you observe species adapted to stagnant water and/or intermittent wet and dry? Such as frogs? Could the fish you observe actually be tadpoles?

How close are you to the ocean?

By the way, all perennial ponds derive water from the water table. So, what about development in the area? Could new developments and subdivisions be lowering the average water table? It might turn out that there's little you can do about it...other than dig deeper and have higher banks. Or you could pipe runoff (from your house, say) to the pond; but if the water table is declining permanently, that won't help much.

Hi
I face this problem before in larger leak and now after 16 month treatment things back normal what I need from you id you dont mined the following so we can work together to recover the problem
1. How deep is it (approximately before it's came down to low level)
2. What type of grass around it
3. Is their and deep construction in 3 KM around the location
4. Is the raining amount came down

Regards
MAG

We think, from what we can tell, it's about 6 ft. deep in the center. It has a lot of landscaping around it - lillies, cattails and some banks of regular yard grass.

We know it was hand dug. I'm just trying to figure out how to save it from drying up completely. It's very established, so I don't think digging a new pond would be our best option.

"It's about 40-50 square feet" I hope this is correct, just kind of small to be a pond. If it is a rectangle, could just be about 7x7 ft. I have a pond about 4x this area and without water replenishment, the level goes down several inches in a week or two, depending on weather condition (sunny or cloudy). Water naturally evaporates! You have to resupply or refill the pond with water from a nearby source. If there is no rain for a long time, the pond could dry up...

The PVC pipe nearby could be a drain line or could also be a supply pipe to fill in water.

Sorry. It's about 25 feet on each side, so the area is approx. 625. How to resupply or refill is my question, since we have a well at the same water table level. We think the piping was just to aerate/circulate water. Just has pump at the end.

you said" How to resupply or refill is my question, since we have a well at the same water table level."

My concern is well used for potable water at same level of water table which is open to surface and possible contamination from runoff.

Septic sytem nearby?? grazing animals?

Our ancestors survived worse, but our modern sanitation codes are based on lessons learned... the hard way.

Not a great design.

milo

Can you give us an indication of the relative location of the pond, well, sewage disposal and house etc.

What is done with the sewage?

Sewage is biodegradable but nature must be given the opportunity to work properly.

Maybe your best bet is dig a new one, a bit nearer the house so you can enjoy it more, put in a rubber liner, and pipe in the run-off.

The wild life can be ecouraged to come over, they'll soon find it and you can help the new pond to settle in with water from the old one.

A recirculating pump is agood idea, but expensive filterboxes and such like are usually an unnecessary waste of money.

My top tip...decide how big you want it....the double it! Try to make it as natuaral as possible, and when in doubt, leave it alone!

Don't worry about the wildlife being disturbed if you refurbish the old pond, the frogs will hop away and soon return...carefull shovelling out the mud at the bottom...it will have frogs hiding in it.

Have you got kids who can do the digging? Me and my 2 brothers dug our parents pond when we were kids...tons of energy and enthusiasm.

And last of all, don't worry too much if the old one gets pretty dry....even a damp depression will hold loads of wildlife. We got newts for our pond from a guy who had loads in his back garden, he barely had a pond at all it was a wet patch about 2foot round overgrown with long grass....When we saw it we thought he was bonkers...but he was right it was full of newts!

Pardon me, but what are newts?

Sort of little water lizzardy creature things....Dont you have 'em in US?

See wikkipedia entry below.

In UK we have an expression 'as pissed as a newt' meaning drunk...no idea why!!!

Newts are small, usually bright-colored semiaquatic salamanders of North America, Europe and Asia, distinguished from other salamanders by the lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of the body.

We have them here in the states as former history teachers that develop legislative policies and contracts with our country. Never thought to look for costal grooves!

Hows the catnip farm?

milo

Hey Chuck...that's a sweet sounding location beneath your Avatar!

Someone didn't read their Shakespeare assignment

You might not see the liner because it may have been covered on purpose or sediment.

Step one is to find and repair leaks.

Using the outflow from the house to fill the pond may be a good solution.

but the water should first be treated, filtered etc.

A septic tank and a reed bed filtration system might be your answer.

good luck!

40 to 50 square feet is just a hole in the ground. I assume the pond is 40 to 50 feet wide by 40 to 50 feet long. It is likely that the pipe was attached an aeration pump to keep the pond "fresh". Frogs are good. They usually live in good water.

Water will evaporate at a rate of about 3 to 4 inches a day in hot weather. However it is dependent not only on the tempature, but humitity and most important, the wind.

Testing for leaks is very expensive and hard to stop. Call your county soils agent. He may be able to help you. You should be be able to find their number in the front of the phone book under USDA.