seal a tiny pond - earthworks.sand.pond PEP BB

What should I consider when choosing a location for one of these ponds?

Bihai Il wrote:What should I consider when choosing a location for one of these ponds?

I've dug a few small pools. I'm no expert, but I've really enjoyed building them.

If you're wanting it to keep holding water for longer after you seal it, it can be helpful if there is some clay in the soil. Doing a test pit like in this BB can also help to see if there is clay there.

I've made some small pools in areas at lower elevation, where the water table is usually lower, which can flow into the pools and help keep them filled.

Also finding a spot where water naturally pools at makes it easier usually, especially if a good amount of rainfall flows into the area, which can also help refill the pools.

I've really enjoyed adding water to the landscape, it's attracted tons of beneficial in sects as well!

Mike Haasl wrote:My soil is really sandy.  I'm going to try this BB but what happens if after compaction it still drains a bit too quickly?  

Is the point of the BB to do a test to see IF your soil can hold water?  Or is it to make it hold water no matter what?

I have the opposite issue.  My soil has a lot of clay in it.  What if it initially takes longer, maybe much longer, to drain before compaction?  Do I just call this BB a wash and work on something else?  I have mine dug already but I'm pretty confident it isn't going to drain in 10 minutes or maybe even quite a bit longer.  I'm going to do it anyway, but I'm wondering if it is worth posting if it doesn't fit the criteria.

I'm guessing we should post our results, whether they work or not.  The BB is called a "test" so I'm thinking the point is to see if your soil can be "wallowed" in order to hold water.  If it already holds water then maybe you pass the test.  If I can't get it to hold water then the soil (any maybe i) fail the test.  I guess we'll see what Paul says in the end...

My little pond. I I took a picture after I filled the pond, after 10 minutes, after an hour, and the next morning. We had a lot of rain, so there was water in the hole when I started tamping. I tamped with a birch branch on the bottom. I used that bent tree branch to pound the sides is the hole. It wasn't as flat as I would have liked and I didn't have a saw along to cut it off straight. I used a small sledge to pound the heck out of the sides and the plateau I built around the top for frogs and toads. I took a picture with it nearly full. It took 9 gals to fill it to that depth. At ten minutes, it hadn't moved. At one hour, it hadn't moved but my mastiff jumped in and got a drink, so it's down maybe a quarter inch. I showed water splashed onto the plateau and a very faint mastiff footprint for proof 😊  The dog barely left a footprint because, as I said, I pounded the heck out of it.

Can you post a picture of the tamped hole filled with water and the twig marker at the beginning of the test?  It's the third from the last requirement from the list.

Mike Haasl wrote:Can you post a picture of the tamped hole filled with water and the twig marker at the beginning of the test?  It's the third from the last requirement from the list.

Sure. And a picture of it this morning. We had a little rain last night, so the marker is submerged. I'm convinced this hole lost no water.

Immediately after tamping with marker

Nice  pond demonstration on a small scale.
Years ago I used to do some soil testing and found that many times the contractor thought that the soil at the job site contained clay. When we did lost by  wash and sieve analysis most of the time a high percentage of silt was present which also seals a pond well. A simple field test that we did was to take a small ball of moist soil in your hand and squeeze. If you get an inch or longer ribbon of soil between your pointer finger and thumb, chances are good that it contains some clay.
Hope this helps someone better identify their soil and isn't to off topic.