Building A New Pond

[tuffy]

We did some dirt work on our land recently and as we had the excavator (Macro) there already we decided to dig a pond, on the spur of the moment. They dug it pretty deep to reach ground water in hopes that it will remain somewhat full all year long. Now that it is dug I am not sure what i need to do to insure that becomes a nice pond and not a tepid cess pool. IT is pretty deep like I said, about 6 meters or more deep and about 30 meters acrossed. It is dug in soft sandy dirt so I will need to stabilize the banks first off. I read in a different post suggesting the use of netting the growing grass on top of that to keep the banks from caving in. Would you recommend this and where would i find said netting in the Pattaya Rayong Area? I will attach a few pictures and welcome any and all advise on the do's and don't from here on.

I was also considering putting a bunch of large rocks, boulders etc in the bottom to keep the fresh water souce from getting cut off from fill dirt, does this sound correct to you guys?

Edited April 9, 2010 by tuffy

[tuffy]

Here are the pictures

[Loom]

From looking at the pics, it seems the edge of the pond is higher than the surrounding land. In order to collect rainwater, you'd want the surrounding land to slope down and drain into the pond.

There are some threads in the farming forum on sealing pond walls with clay. To further stabilize the pond's slope, vetiver grass would probably work well.

[tuffy]

I'll Look into the clay idea, that may be the ticket

From looking at the pics, it seems the edge of the pond is higher than the surrounding land. In order to collect rainwater, you'd want the surrounding land to slope down and drain into the pond.

There are some threads in the farming forum on sealing pond walls with clay. To further stabilize the pond's slope, vetiver grass would probably work well.

[Rimmer]

I'm not a farmer or a pond expert but maybe I can offer some suggestions that worked for me in a similar sandy soil.

Your pond is plenty deep enough but methinks the sides are too steep and will soon fall in.

Can you not dig it bigger and and slope it less? I would say make it as BIG as you can.

We have a creeping weed that covers the bank and prevents erosion when the water drops, it has a broad small leaf with yellow flowers,I have no idea what they are but they grow at the side of roads.

Our pond is simply sand with no lining but we do have water running in all the time which keeps the level up, do you have something like that? If not it's soon going to drop. Even so ours has dropped at this time maybe one meter.

I believe that our pond did line itself from the house pad clay that washed down the plot into the pond, this keeps it fairly waterproof. The pond took maybe 6 months to clear properly from the clay that washed down.

In hindsight I would have lined the pond with clay or stones cemented on the sides, this keeps the sides falling in and keeps the water in.

A couple of pictures, before and after.

[Rimmer]

If you had to dig so deep to reach the water table, then your pond is not going to fill of it's own accord and you will have to line it somehow, the first picture of mine shows the level of the water table on our land, I remember one year when it dropped buying many tankers to try and fill it up, no chance, with sandy soil it just seeps away, that is the water table and you can not change it. See how it fills for a few days but looking again at your pics if that is the water table level I would have to say line it or fill it in.

[tuffy]

I'm not a farmer or a pond expert but maybe I can offer some suggestions that worked for me in a similar sandy soil.

Your pond is plenty deep enough but methinks the sides are too steep and will soon fall in.

Can you not dig it bigger and and slope it less? I would say make it as BIG as you can.

We have a creeping weed that covers the bank and prevents erosion when the water drops, it has a broad small leaf with yellow flowers,I have no idea what they are but they grow at the side of roads.

Our pond is simply sand with no lining but we do have water running in all the time which keeps the level up, do you have something like that? If not it's soon going to drop. Even so ours has dropped at this time maybe one meter.

I believe that our pond did line itself from the house pad clay that washed down the plot into the pond, this keeps it fairly waterproof. The pond took maybe 6 months to clear properly from the clay that washed down.

In hindsight I would have lined the pond with clay or stones cemented on the sides, this keeps the sides falling in and keeps the water in.

A couple of pictures, before and after.

Very nice pond Rimmer!

We went so deep on our to hit ground water hoping that will keep it in water year round (Day # 2 and there is about 2 meters of water in the bottom already). At this point it looks more like an open pit mine, but hopefully we can get it figured out. I am worried about the steep sides too but if we slope it properly it will take up our entire back yard, which I might end up doing if it starts to errode badly this summer.I am definely going to have to line it, just not sure with hat yet. Thanks for the advice.

[Naam]

I'll Look into the clay idea, that may be the ticket

what about doing it my way?

[tuffy]

I'll Look into the clay idea, that may be the ticket

what about doing it my way?

I was looking for a more natural look (and cheap) but after mine caves in i might be back for more pictures Naam!

[craigt3365]

I'll Look into the clay idea, that may be the ticket

what about doing it my way?

Dang! That is huge! Is it done? Do you have any pics?

[Crossy]

Dang! That is huge! Is it done? Do you have any pics?

You can read the saga of Naam's pond here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Naam-s-Pond-t167385.html

[bkkbill]

Rimmer, what is the time frame from the first to next picture.

[Rimmer]

Rimmer, what is the time frame from the first to next picture.

Probably around two years, Regret the camera picture dates are not correct, but the view is the same.

Took about six months for the pond to settle though.

[tuffy]

So i guess no more sage words of advise from anyone for me and my starter pond eh?