How Much Water Do I Need In The Pool When Closing It?

[Leonian]

I have a pool leak. I have hired the company that constructed my pool 17 years ago to find and fix the leak. I am in New Jersey and would like to close the pool following the completion of any needed work.

My question: How much water do I NEED in my pool when closing it. I've read that you can damage the pool if you close it empty. Currently the water level is 2+ feet below the skimmers. I don't know how much lower it will get before the leak can be halted.

 

[Newdude]

Your pool water level needs to be above the ground water table level or else you cease to have a pool, and you have a boat instead. 6 inches probably wouldn't matter, but 2ft might.

It also matters for how long. You can likely go a short time low, but one whopper of a flash flood over the off season could overwhelm the natural draining of the pool area and cause the pool to float. The longer the span it's low, the more the chances increase. Or the ground water table rises over the winter before the farmers lower it in the spring watering the crops.

 

[ajw22]

What type of pool cover do you put on at closing?

Many pool covers need to be supported by the water in the pool and can be damaged if water or snow weight pushes it too far into the pool.

 

[Leonian]

Thank you both for your input.

• I don't know where the water table below me lies. My property is a bit higher than some of the surrounding land, but I learned yesterday from reading that water "tables" are not necessarily flat. I'll be sure to raise the pool water level after the leak problem is solved. I just don't know how much, yet.
• My pool cover is a taut safety mesh cover
• Additional information: I learned yesterday that the leak is coming from the main drain at the bottom of the pool.