"Reel Mckoi" wrote:

We have to redo 3 sides of
my 2000 gallon pond this summer because they were made too steep! The guy
said it would help keep predators out of the pond. YEAH RIGHT! He didn't
mention that the pressure from the surrounding soil would eventually allow
the sides to "fall in." And that's what's happening. It should have been
dug more bowl shape to let the water pressure and weight keep that from
happening.

Your "expert" was correct. You need to make the sides steep to prevent
predators from having a picnic in the pond. What he didn't do was build
up a vertical wall out of cement blocks at the periphery and then build
the steep slope out of something that wouldn't shift. Also, don't
forget shelves around the edge for marginal plants.

It sounds like you don't have very good drainage around your pond. That
is a big problem and needs to be addressed. Most ponds don't do well in
a bog area unless they have masonry retaining walls.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
18,000 gallon (17'x 47'x 2-4') lily pond garden in Zone 6
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA