Last year toward the end of the season I noticed a damp spot on the ground near one end of the pool. Not wet, not squishy, just damper than the surrounding area. I sort of set that aside in my mind since we were near closing.

We opened and refilled in mid-March. Once all the snow and ice were thawed and the ground had dried I began to notice that same damp spot. Moreover, I seem to be losing about 1" every 36 to 48 hours as measured by the water level against the skimmer housing screws. I just cannot attribute that much water loss to evaporation.

The water is crystal clear and the bottom is spotless. I cannot, for the life of me, see a tear or a hole and there are no wrinkles on the bottom. There are some uneven areas where the sand has shifted and where dirt collects.

The pool steps aren't in yet but we'll do that this weekend.

How can I find out whether there is a leak and where it is? The water isn't warm enough yet to get in. I figure we could put on goggles and snorkel our way back and forth inspecting the bottom, but it'll be another month at least before we can do that.

What is this test, it uses a bucket, I think, where you can check for evaporation or loss due to a leak? I also seem to remember something using food coloring dye - how does that work?

Anna