Now What? Ideas For 32x22x3 +/- Pond

[Waterbug]

Yeah, ponds never have a problem with water getting under a liner until they come out one morning and find the liner floating in the pond. Many ponds will never have the problem. The question really is more a long the lines of whether a person wants to understand the risk and make a tiny change to reduce the risk or just close one's eyes and hope for the best. Thinking just wears some people out and it's worth the added risk to not have to think too much. It's a hobby so people should enjoy themselves.

 

[jskirwin]

Waterbug
I would love nothing more that doing what you suggest but have numerous constraints, including a french drain at the very top of the dig site that drains the yard (sloped towards the house). I've found that and know exactly where that is, so that's my starting point. I may be able to expand on the lower side some, but I'd like to leave that option open for the future. Honestly it took me 2 years to do my first pond, and that was only 1000 gallons. This one is bigger and much more challenging. It's a big hole and I'm one man with no help, so if I can't do it, it won't get done. My target was to finish this summer. Right now I'd be happy to finish before the first frost.

The retaining wall is a must I believe. I've left at least a foot of clay around the 3 middle pylons of the deck, but recognize that they need to be shored up. I'll research putting in a granite rubble footer, with 3 or so rows of concrete block with rebar and cement. I have carved out a level step about a foot below the waterline on that side, and about 16" in width. I'm wondering if that will hold the wall, or if I have to go to the bottom of the pond.

 

[Waterbug]

I was just amusing myself daydreaming about pond designs. Lot's easier to do at a keyboard than with a shovel in my hands.

I think code is generally is not digging within 3' of a foundation, but 6' is kicking around in my head too. Probably depends on climate and foundation type too. At any rate the retaining wall should be a big help. Whether or not to go to the bottom of the pond or not is a tricky call. In general these things are built to handle worst case type deals, so to many people they might seem overbuilt. Kind of comes down to how much risk you're willing to take I think.

I don't think I'd go with a rubble base in clay at that depth as I don't think drainage is the issue. But you know your soil better. I'd go with a poured footer with rebar or failing that I'd just use the block and skip the rubble. Rubble can settle into clay. What you're really trying for is a kind of boat, the width of the footer keeps it from sinking. But since the wall isn't that high, there's not a lot of weight, maybe just a concrete filled 8" wide block is enough.

 

[WNCRalph]

You might consider going a little deeper, we have about five foot at our deep end. The neighbor a half mile away has a shallower pond, and has been fished out by herons, we have never had a problem. Live in Candler NC. Good luck with your pond.