Step 1, Pond hole in dirt with loose perimeter soil

[Raspberry]

Looking for suggestions for a quick easy pond considering the loose fresh loose soil.

In My current plan I want the water level to be equal to the high side so I have to build up the lower side. See photo, all this soil I moved in over the last 10 to 5 years, it’s all loose. I plan on using retaining wall block on the lower sided to equal the high side then cover with recommend liners/pond EPDM. I push in a shovel and I can feel soil is still loose. Having some construction background, proper procedure is to dig down until contact with undisturbed soil, make a concrete or or gravel pad/footing then build up with retaining wall blocks on the low sides to meet the high side. But this high side is about 12-18” fresh soil too so it should compact down over the years too. All sides are fresh soil and will compact sink over the years.

Optimally, I should remove perimeter soil down to undisturbed soil make a gravel footing pad then build up the retaining wall block. Putting the retaining wall block on loose soil will eventually sink unevenly. This is too much work to do for the entire pond perimeter. I don’t have a mechanized compactor, renting, pickup with trailer would cost more than purchasing a new compactor from harbor freight. But still compacting should be 3” layers packed then another 3” layer… so I still would have to scrape off lot’s of soil then build it up again.

Does anyone have quicker, not so much soil movement ideas to complete this pond? I could just sledge hammer pack soil the best I can, lay the retaining wall block, cover with pond liner/EPDM, let it sink for a few 2-3 years, then take apart pond and redo/relevel the retaining wall block? Where soil compacted fill in with gravel and relevel.

No wildlife, no fish, visiting wild birds only, no large boulders, DIY. A 24” deep trench/hole with a 2” lip deep area because I see birds really like 2” depth of water to clean up in. No waterfall planned, only a small recirculation pump.

We’ve had this other pond the previous owner made 20 years ago. The small pump broke 15 years ago. This pond only once smelled bad but it does have shade. The birds love this pond. Sometimes have cattails always have beautiful reed with yellow flowers looking like orchids (all wild blown in). The new pond will have zero shade.

Thank you!
Ras

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum !

 

[j.w]

@Raspberry
Have fun fixing your pond just the way you want it.
That's funny you say no wildlife as they will come w/o an invitation. Not just birds!

 

[Raspberry]

Can these retaining wall blocks be used to hold in pond water? Or will the water push the wall over? Below is wall I built so instead of rock fill it would have a liner and water fill. thank you!

 

[GBBUDD]

It depends greatly o. The size of the pond and how deep or tall you plan to build the wall. More than 2 feet I would say no. And thats just a guesstimate. But not all retaining walls are created equal. Some have e Teflon pins and I would assume they can hold back more pressure.

One thing that is becoming more and more popular is building retaining walls in the pond backed up by soil. This is a great way to hold back sand or soft side walls that can not stand on there own.

Its a simple trench in your excavation for a footing of crushed stone. So you drop in fabric and liner more fabric and crushed stone or a chip stone. The thicker the less pressure is forced onto the liner . Same principles as culverts 6 inches over a 48 inch culvert and a car can go over. But cha e that to a couple feet of stone and a truck can drive over it.

 

[sissy]

I used concrete block to hold my liner . You can see it in my pond build . I just put rebar in the holes and packed the holes with my red clay soil and it has held up for close to 20 years now . i think i have 4 levels of block and the filter stock tanks are built up with retaining wall block . It is on my slopping hill side yard near my covered front porch . That is so hubby and i can sit out there and enjoy the wildlife and look down on the pond

 

[Raspberry]

I used concrete block

Is your water inside at the red arrows I marked? I'm going to reply to GBBUDD for clarification on my project.

 

[Raspberry]

It depends greatly o.

I'm DIY, the small retaining wall block I've used scores, hit with chisel breaks straight, easy with no fails. The mfg doesn't think drilling hole for pins would work. They do have very large retaining wall blocks with factory holes for fiberglass pins to hold the wall. These large blocks Teflon pins blocks I can't cut myself, needs a cement miter saw.

I didn't think to use cinder blocks and fill them with dirt. Don't want to fill with concrete. This area is fresh soil so it's going to settle. I anticipate I will have to disassemble the wall in a couple years, re-level the gravel footing. This is only an hour job and no problem. That's why I don't want to glue the retaining blocks (or cinder blocks if I use them).

I don't have space to back fill on the low side.

The internet seems to say there is only 1 atm of hydrostatic pressure for 13" of depth. But the calculator does not ask for L x W only depth. Would there be more outward force depending on the LxW volume area?

Even taking into consideration the 13" D x 6' W x 6' L I don't think this water outward force would knock over 2.1 rows of the small retaining block I've used around the yard? I'm not smart enough to figure out the outward force. It would be 39 ft3 of water = 2,434 pounds of weight but that's not 2,434lbs of weight pressure on the wall? If so then it would probably knock 2 the two rows down.

Thank you GBBUDD and sissy for your ideas!

 

[GBBUDD]

The internet seems to say there is only 1 atm of hydrostatic pressure for 13" of depth. But the calculator does not ask for L x W only depth. Would there be more outward force depending on the LxW volume area?

im not a hydrolic engineer by any means but i beieve size means ittle compaired to depth. i'm pretty sure a pond thats 24 inches deep in a 10x10 pond has the same pressures on the wall as woud a 24x24 now id be wiling to bet theres a limmit to this but i just did a ai question and it seems to agree.

 

[GBBUDD]

I don't have space to back fill on the low side.

sure you do it's all a matter of how much one wants it i built my bog up over 6 feet the furthest part of the bog droped that farcompaired to the viewing area. i used mafia bock

 

[GBBUDD]

Even taking into consideration the 13" D x 6' W x 6' L I don't think this water outward force would knock over 2.1 rows of the small retaining block I've used around the yard?

i would agree but a soid foundationn that wil not move keeps the mortar from cracking. 13 " does not have a ton of force but it is very close to the maximum if not over what a grown man coud hold back.

 

[GBBUDD]

weight measures such as your assking i believe is gravity weights meaning how much does it weigh over al and downward pressure.

 

[GBBUDD]

Can these retaining wall blocks be used to hold in pond water? Or will the water push the wall over? Below is wall I built so instead of rock fill it would have a liner and water fill. thank you!
View attachment 171298View attachment 171299

just remeber the average ponder has three ponds a starter smalish pond then my fish got to big i need a little bigger and then why didn't i just build my dream and built a nice pond for them and myself and my family . nothing chnages home life like a pond can