Advice required, please.

[lijongtao]

My pond has been established for around 9 months now. It has no fish, nor do I intend putting any in, has 3 levels the first being small aquatic gravel-sized to help frogs, etc getting in. and the bottom level is quite deep at around 3 foot perhaps. There are bigger stones at the bottom. I have quite a few aquatic plants in there and it is getting established but I am having flood problems.

It has a butyl liner that comes up the sides and overlaps onto the lawn by about a foot and therein lies my problem, It is filling like a bath and overflowing and with the rain we've had this year the garden is constantly flooded as a result despite manually removing buckets full weekly. I know the liner is too big but as it was £100+ I didn't want to cut it too short and thought I'd let is settle first before cutting it back.

How do I solve an overflowing problem? Do I just cut the liner back to 3 inches below the grass level and when it fills with water it will flow into the soil? This is a wildlife pond and it's the only thing I am struggling with.

Many thanks and I hope what I have described sounds clear.

Li

 

[bagsmom]

If you can access YouTube, The Pond Digger has some good videos on edge treatment. I know many people roll or fold excess liner under, then pack up soil against it, making a little berm. This prevents ground water from running in. If you search pond edge treatment on YouTube, I bet you will find some good tutorials! As for overflow going into the yard, most of us have a little low spot where where excess water just naturally finds its way out. If it's making a huge mess, you might consider hand-digging a little sloping trench, to guide the water where you want it to go. I did this around my pond. I lined the little trench with some landscape fabric, then filled with gravel. It blends right in with the gravel "patio" around the pond, so you don't even know it's there.

 

[sissy]

You will still need an area where over flow water can get out safely with out destroying your whole pond .I have a small low area in my half above ground and half below ground pond that allows for a safe overflow .

 

[j.w]

@lijongtao
I have a berm of dirt around my pond and a lower ledge down a few inches in the pond where I place bigger rocks and then up on the top edge around the pond over the lower ledge I place over lapping rocks. This set up makes it so you cannot see the liner of the pond which I like better. Rain water then seeps out between rocks slowly and does not create a river effect onto the lawn. I also have many plants on the berm to suck up moisture and then a pathway around the pond of pavers and mulch. I never cut excess liner, always roll it, tuck it under in case of need later. Hope this helps.

Side near house.

Rock path next to house side

Path near lawn.

 

[GBBUDD]

Best bet is to never cut the extra you never know what idea you might come up with down the road. the typical treatment is lets say you have 12" thick rocks. well about two or three inches below your water line pull back the liner and make a shelf that is about 2" thinner then the rock is this way when the rock is on the shelf its sitting in a couple inches of water and the rock will over hang the shelf hiding the edge. you can then fold the liner on the outside of the pond so it's say 6" above the grade where the water is running into your pond. fold the liner over and bury. you now have a berm around the pond and the rock is higher then the berm making it look natural

 

[lijongtao]

Thank you all so much. I will do as you say and make a berm and look at youtube. I have a storm water grid not far from the pond. I wonder if I could tie into it using black PVC pipe running down into the grid and at the pong end put a u-bend on the end of the pipe so the water never goes above the pipe as it simply drains away?? The land around the pond is nearly 6 foot high so everything drains into it and it is grass surrounded.

I really do appreciate the help. Grateful thanks

 

[GBBUDD]

here are some advanced pond set up some that make you go hmmmmmmmm how could i

Some very impressive pond builds

https://whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TOMbsvXjX8 ww.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc36HtktJD0

www.gardenpondforum.com

 

[poconojoe]

You could have a small PVC pipe hidden, covered with rocks and situated at the level you want to keep the pond at. This way you have control of where the excess water goes. So it doesn't just spill all over and everywhere. You could extend the pipe to wherever is a good spot to send the water. That storm water intake sounds like a good place to send it.

 

[GBBUDD]

problem with a pipe is it better be a larger one . all it takes is one little branch to cut the pipe down I half add a few leavezand your cloged

 

[MIKES KOI]

hi there, a real simple fix to your problem get a overflow valve and install it to the liner i know the pond outlet .com has them. about 15.00 or find a water inlet for the liner i recommend one that is threaded inside so you can add a strainer so it dont get full of junk.it it was mine i would run hose or pipe to run the water away , or where you want it to go. hope this helps mikes koi