"A.Malhotra" wrote:

Hello A.Malhotra

It was the only option before concrete and liners, and
since then isn't much used. It /can/ work well,
apparently, but only if the ground is naturally wet all
the time anyway - ie, a low lying boggy area with a
stream. And if the water level drops then the clay dries
out where it's exposed and cracks.
AM One way round might be to line the pond edges with sacking
AM so that it acts as a wick and keeps the exposed area damp.

Um... Hessian sacking (nylon's non-absorbant so no use anyway) rots
very quickly when damp.

AM Presumably it would need more frequent topping up with such
AM a system. However, deep rooted water plants will eventually
AM break through the puddled clay anyway and cause leaks.

Fair point, hadn't thought of that.

AM We have a smallish pond in our boggy bit and are happy
AM enough for it to be periodically dry (we have other lined
AM ponds) and eventually fill up with irises. Anita

According to some (not all) of the books I've read about ponding,
using normal liners in saturated ground is a bad idea, and say the
liner will rise to the surface.

Personally I've got my doubts about that, given the weight of water
above it, and that the water is the same density above or below the
liner.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/