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Our waterfall

There is a cougar coming down to drink from the waterfall. (Don't worry ... he is a permanent fixture.) I am constantly losing water out of the pond and having to refill it. Any suggestions???

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Contributing Gardener Comment by Michelle Compton on October 6, 2010 at 9:24am: Beautiful waterfall. I know this took a lot of work.

Comment by Victor Caron on August 5, 2010 at 1:43pm: Hi Brenda...nice looking water garden! I am new to this site, but we have a large water garden with over
60 fish, several frogs, 2 turtles, 2 waterfalls and a brook that I established 11 years ago, which I manage and troubleshoot and do the same for others in my area. All of the suggestions you have received thus far are possible except for another probable nemesis. If you do not notice or find a leak in the liner, then check the conduit piping and look for wet soil while the waterfall is flowing. You may have to unearth several sample areas until you find it the leak. Also, if you do have a liner, be sure that it is EPDM, between 20-30 mils thick or you will have problems! I do not know whether you have flex or CPVC piping, but I re-excavated our pond this summer and converted from flex to CPVC. No more leaks and increased pressure...what a difference! Let me know how you fare and if I can be of any assistance.

Comment by Kristin Dexter Z5RI on May 27, 2010 at 9:56am: We always had to add water to ours due to evaporation, particularly on hot summer days. It was amazing how much it went down.

Comment by linda broun on May 27, 2010 at 9:36am: We have a large pond and need to top it off about once a week in the summer. I figure it's the evaporation since it only happens with the sun and heat at that time of the year.

Comment by Sharon Kay Westfall-Loomis on May 27, 2010 at 8:21am: I love this waterfall! I feel like I can hear it! We had the exact same problem that you are having. We had to take it a part and try to figure it out. We could not see any signs of water leaks, we put it back together and just figured it was evaporation. I wish I could help you more! It is beautiful!! I love the rocks!!

Contributing Gardener Comment by Kristi Emanuelson z5 CO on May 27, 2010 at 12:05am: Great waterfall. I love the sound of water and often spend the start and end of my day by my pond so that I can relax to the sound of the water.

As for the water loss. As already mentioned, it could be a leak, either in the liner or the waterfall. First look for visible signs of wet around the edge of the pond/ waterfall area. Next, fill the pond to the usual full level and then shut down your waterfall. Wait a couple of days. If the water level does not change, then the leak is most likely in the waterfall. Waterfalls are tricky. It could be a leak in the lining. It could be that a rock has shifted and the water is backflowing behind the rock/ liner. It could also be that you have a lot of splash as the water tumbles down the rocks. Although it my not be real hot, rocks tend to get hot and if you are experiencing splash you will see a lot of evaporation. If it is splash, try to adjust your water flow, or redirect the water in order to minimize the splash. However, if you filled the pond, shut off the waterfall and you still experience a drop in water level, then the leak is most likely in the pond itself. Again look for damp areas around the pond. If it is a fast leak you can take a spray bottle with some milk or colored water.. add water to just above the "leak level" and then spray around the perimeter of the pond, if the water dissapates into the pond.. that area has no leak. If the water flows or disappears into the lining, that is probably where your leak is. Leaks are HARD to find. Especially if they are the slooooow kind. If you are losing more than a couple of inches of water a day.. give or take some depending upon your temperature... you most likely have a leak. Otherwise it is evaporation and you will just have to keep adding to the pond. GOOD LUCK with this situation.

Comment by Lori Bonin on May 26, 2010 at 11:48pm: Very Nice! Love it! We have had a few leaks in our waterfalls--My husband has found a few places where the water was splashing on the rocks and over the liner. Every year he tweaks it a bit. Enjoy!

Comment by Lydia on May 26, 2010 at 11:34pm: This is so lovely! Makes me happy just looking at it!

Comment by Harry Larsen on May 26, 2010 at 9:53am: If the weather is not too hot (evaporation) it sounds like your pond has a leak. Only way to find it is to tear it apart and check the liner to locate it--it could be a pinhole caused by stepping in the pond or from a rock. (The alternative is to live with it.) Is the ground damp/soggy anywhere around the areas outside of the fountain? That would give you a clue as to where to start looking.