Question regarding a pond retaining wall?

Question

I have dug a pond into the ground and wish to build up a wall around the hole to raise the pond above ground level. Can anyone with brickworking know-how tell me the best way to do this to ensure the wall will be able to hold the weight of the water?

Answer 1

I take it you're not trying to build a 6 foot wall. If it's only a couple of feet, I'd go with cinder block (with rebar and concrete reinforcing the holes, or railroad ties (with rebar driven at least two feet into the ground to hold them steady). With the cinder block, you can put a brick fascia in front to pretty it up.

You also might consider those big retaining wall stones they carry at Lowe's or Home Depot. I used those several years ago to do just what you're doing and they worked very well. They don't work great for straight lines, just curves. They stack in such a way as to lean back against the hill and you'll have to backfill behind them to form the pond correctly, but they look real nice.

Answer 2

Planning, planning, planning, my friend! Design before building, but then again, buildings and homes are redesigned.
The Surround-Structure needs to be anchored below the base of the pond you have made. Do not assume that the weight of the water you currently have will be the weight it will have to withstand. Mother Nature has a way of being nasty in this way (see New Orleans).
At this point I would plan, see plan, a second run-off pond.
Sink Rebars of a length that would go at least six inches below the level of the original pond at one foot intervals. Have the Rebar at least three foot above the level of the pond.
Excuvate, on the completion of the Rebar installation, one foot with a backfill of mixed gravel. Place cinder blocks through the rebar for two courses.
Fill the cinder blocks with a cement mix and paint the inside with a water blocking paint. Cap the Blocks with a designer type of cap and finish with a similar smaller decor on the exterior. Leave an opening at the low point or put a 1/2 Pvc pipe at base level to pond #2.
Excavate the 2nd pond at about the average rainfall amount for your area. Develop it to be a unique and the focal pond. Place a small fountain in the middle. Fill this pond about one third uneven gravel and a topping of fine stone of your choice.
With some solar powered lighting the second feeds from the first and the second becomes the focal point..
Your first is not a waste. You can use it to raise Koa or other similar fish. Let the runoff be natural! Good Luck.

Answer 3

This is something that i wouldn't do. If I understand you right, you have a hole in the ground and you want to build a wall around the hole that will contain water.

The only way that this will work is if you are using a pond liner because the water in the pond will eventually undermine the wall. This is especially true if you live in a climate where the ground freezes.

If you use a pond liner, then you can just mound the dirt up at the edge of the pond and cover it with the liner. Make the top of the mound level and cover it with some stones, either flat flagstones or round rocks, your choice. Bury the edges of the pond liner with dirt so that it's not exposed and landscape around it.

There is a lot of information on water gardening on our website at-

http://www.gardening-at-the-crossroads.com/water-gardening.html

including a free e-book on water features.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening!

Answer 4

if you build a wall that's not a pond that's most like a squirming pool a pond you just make a hole and live all the soil around if you have to build a retail wall you have to make strong depend how much water have to support