Planning stages....need advice

[nc0gnet0]

After building my first pond I am starting to draw up plans to build my second, which i hope to be operational by next spring. It will need to be a partial retaining wall pond, somewhere in the 4000 to 6000 gallon range @ roughly 13' x 18' x 3'. it will be built into a slope of a hill on the south side, with the north side being the full retaining wall side and the west and East ends partial walls. I had hoped to use cedar 6" x 6" x 10' posts (buried 4 feet deep set in concrete) every 2 feet with 1 1/8" x 10" cedar boards attached to the posts. My main concern is will this be sturdy enough to hold a depth of 3 feet of water? it seems like it should as this same construction is suffice for a dirt retaining wall and dirt has a slightly higher weight per cubic foot than water. has anyone built such a pond?

Concrete is really not an option here, the wall will set just inside my property line and will double as a fence above the water line.

 

[Oldhead]

sure sounds like it will hold to me. There are a few pictures of raised ponds in the photography forum.

 

[koiguy1969]

predrill them and pound rebar thru... it. should be plenty strong!!

 

[Pandypops]

If a flimsy blow-up or rigid above ground swimming pool manages to hold itself together, I have no doubts about what you're planning being strong enough!

At the bottom, there will be 3ft of water depth, which will give you about 0.1 bar (1.45psi - pounds per square inch) of differential pressure / force acting on the wall.
I don't think that will be a problem.

 

[nc0gnet0]

Yeah I was pretty sure it would hold but I do have a sloap from the south end to the north end.....will this change the pressure exerted on the wall? I plan on doing some excavation to this sloap but thought of stepping it down at 1 foot then two foot then three. Also I plan on making a deep pool in the middle 3-4 feet from all sides and down another 1-2 feet. I was going to build the retaining wall anyways and originally planned on filling it with dirt to level the area and make it usuable space. Now I plan on leveling a third of my back property line with soil and build a deck in the middle and the pond on the oppossing side. Any dirt I excavate from the pond side I can use for filler on the other side. I can't use concrete as I am sure my neighbor would not appreciate starring at a cinder block wall.........nor would 5000+ gallons of water washing out his garden be a good thing :biggrin:

 

[DrCase]

I would bet your frame will hold back the water...

 

[koikeepr]

go at least 4 feet deep. you won't regret it.

 

[nc0gnet0]

I plan on it just not at the wall itself, my deep spot shold be around 8 x 14.........