Don't know if this will help or not. Just wish I had an image to help make my point-it is just a memory in my head.
Here is my memory:
Up in the mountains east of the valley I live in I ran across a very cool site. It was part of a stream that was
almost entirely a rock such as shale surface with veining and cracks in it that water flowed through. Here and there were sedges and other plants and even very small cattails (even though it was probably the normally large T. latifolia)l. There were scattered small pools of water here and there. It was way cool walking over this "bed" and checking out the little pools and plants in the cracks.

As far as replicating it I really think that the amount of liner you have is just not enough when you take into consideration a small outflow pool and a small inflow pool.
Ten feet just does not sound like enough to really work with. Perhaps only just a small pool for birds to bathe in might be a better use-make it shallow with a sand fill to make the pool shallow for birds and provide rocks stuck in the sand for perching.
Best I can think of on the spur of this moment.