Re-Ponding, Part 3

Just in case you are breathlessly awaiting the next installment of the re-ponding project, I’ll alleviate the suspense.  The pond is now shaped as I would like it, with a nice flat shallow end towards the back and a kidney shape.  Later I’ll add more contours around the edge so that the parts aren’t rounded; that will not only give it a pleasant shape, but give it more edge, which is much safer for the survival of tadpoles.

By cutting into the irrigation, the pond can be fed with well water instead of domestic water which is not only less expensive, but much healthier.  Allowing the water to run down the sides and kneading the clay by hand washes the fine clay particles into the pond.  There they can settle and seal the sides.

Every few hours I stirred the pond so as to stir up more clay and have it resettle on the sides.

Now I’m allowing the water level to go down to see if any part of the pond has sealed yet.  When the water stops disappearing, I’ll know the bottom and some of the sides are already sealed.  This cold weather has made me a little hesitant to be working in the water… brrr!  Because of that the pond will probably not be done this week, but I’m working on it.

If sealing the sides with clay in this manner doesn’t work, then I’ll need to separate clay out by hand and mash it onto the sides, kind of like making pottery.  That will definitely have to wait until later this week when the daytime temperature rises!  Meanwhile as the water sinks, I’m weeding, transplanting, weeding, composting, hauling, and did I mention weeding?