You should consult a pond specialist. I don't know where you're located but some states have people in the state conservation or natural resource agency who offer free or cost-share assistance for pond building. Our state Conservation Dept. has guys who will come out and look at your property and do some analysis and design.

But to answer your question, you may be able to work with the clay soil you have and not have to import clay for a liner. Depends on how clayey it is, and how much of it there is. There are places with clay over silt or sand layers, which is obviously a problem. If that happens they can stockpile the clay, remove the more permeable soils, and replace and compact the clay for the liner. If you need soil for a dam you have to make sure you have enough usable clay for that.

One more thought: If that part of the property is in a federally recognized flood plain, you may need a state and/or federal permit to do any excavating if it would change the final grade. I don't know if you're digging down or building up or both for this pond, but check that out ahead of time so you don't have delays or worse.

Thank you I'll defenitly check about that flood plain thing and see if there are any pond specialists in the area again thanks for your time!

A flood plain is an area along a river or stream where the excess water, from heavy rains or winter snow, flows out of the normal banks of that stream or river. That does not necessarily lead to having enough water year around for a pond. If you are close enough to a stream or river to be in the flood plain the water table, the water flowing under ground to that stream or river, may be enough to fil in a pond after you dig it whether the soil is sands or clay. If your water table is not high enough (close enough to the surface) you will probably need a compacted clay base to make a pond and then you will need to fill it with water from somewhere, just as people do with swimming pools. You will also need to keep filling that pond as the water evaporates.

As tox has indicated talk with the people at your states conservation service office (may be known as the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, or something else) as well as the people at your local office of your state universities Cooperative Extension Service.

kimmq is kimmsr