<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>Protection of clay from erosional forces is important. Good quality clay that will expand and seal when wet; install good thickness to handle ground movement; cover with non-woven polyester, ~8 oz/sq yd; several inches of 3/4"-1-1/2" gravel for ballast of the fabric; all good design concepts. <br></span></div><div>Create steps into the wall design to facilitate safe entry and exit. Can be sloping beach of gravel with barriers across the slope every foot of drop to reduce gravel movement over time. Or can be multiple shelves in steeper side with large stable stepping stones.<br>Interesting, many of my clients relate stories of showing their dogs the easy way in and out a few times and they will run around to that point to access the water every time.<br>We have designed wooden piers that come out over the pond. Their
vertical supports sit on a large flat stone, sitting on several layers of fabric, sitting on rubber liners, sitting on layer of fabric, sitting on poured concrete footer. This provides a durable support without puncturing a rubber liner. If using clay only, pour the footer under the clay and install protection over the clay and under the vertical supports to reduce abrasion of the clay.<br> </div><div>David Wentling
ConservFirst.com <br></div> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div id="yiv838989957"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Gennaro Brooks-Church - Eco Brooklyn <info@ecobrooklyn.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></b></font>Thanks David,<div>One idea I have had is putting clay on the walls and then lining the walls with a protective but not waterproof plastic liner. Then gravel. The liner would protect the clay and the gravel would hold the clay in place. Your thoughts?</div>
<div><br>On Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 10:10 PM, David Wentling <span dir="ltr"><<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:dpwentling@ymail.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:dpwentling@ymail.com">dpwentling@ymail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><div class="yiv838989957gmail_quote"><blockquote class="yiv838989957gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div><div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;"><div><span>Been working with ponds for over 15 years. <br></span></div><div><span></span><span><br></span></div>Bentonite is available in sheet form as well as drums. As long as you do not have an erosional flow across the clay it is stable. Expensive option. Best if covered.<br><div><br>For the cost and durability I would use EPDM with liner fabric top and bottom.<span class="yiv838989957HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br></font></span></div> </div></div></blockquote></div></div></div><br></div> </div> </div></body></html>