In the Jan/Feb 1999 Issue of Country Side could someone please give more detail on the "Driving a well" located on page 36. Also Could someone also tell me a simple and easy way to make a small pond. My soil is sandy at home and clay at my camp. I want to put a pond on both properties. Thank you and amy our Lord Jesus bless you. Vielen Dank!

-- Scott Buehler (ridgrunner@netzero.net), July 22, 1999

Answers

Dear Scott, I just put in three small ponds on my property. The way I did it and to my way of thinking the easiest, is to simply dig a hole the size you want, then line it with EPDM rubber which is sold in sheets that can range in size from 5'*5' to as huge as you're willing to go. EPDM typically is supposed to last 30 years, so if you want a very big pond which is not easily relined, you might want to consider either tamping the bottom of your pond with clay which you would have to truck in or pouring concrete. If your soil is very clay, then you might just get away with simply digging a hole that is situated in a lower lying area on your property, then having rain fill it up. In that case you must be carefull so your pond is not directly in the path of possible farm or industral runoff or you will end up with a poisoned cesspool. Also, try getting some books on the matter if you think you might want to do something on a bigger scale. A good source of EPDM is a company called Dripworks (I don't have their phone#). They ship anywhere in the USA, but be forwarned; EPDM is not cheap (but it is easy). Good Luck. Sincerely, K. Reynolds

-- K. Reynolds (popiel77@sprynet.com), July 24, 1999.

A neighbor of mine said to contact the Agri office and see where to purchase a product called 'betanite' (excuse the spelling) and it is used to put in the bottom of a pond to seal it off.

Don't know if it works or not, or anything, but if you try it out, let me know!

Idaho Cher

-- Cheryl Rovang (fullcircle@nidlink.com), July 24, 1999.

bentonite is a special clay avail by bag - for drilling wells or truck for lining stock ponds or tanks. to see how a tank would work just do a perc test - make a small hole as you would a tank fill with water & keep filled 3-4 days then measure the rate of loss. The artical on well driving was compleat - i have used an engine block for a driving weight and stripped the cable off the winch to have a rope winch to lift the weight. driven wells over 35 ft are a waste - just sound the well for water after every length of pipe and go 10 ft below water - but the pump will only lift 20 - 22 ft and a couple of ft min above ground is min to avoid contamination with a hand pump.

-- dl (dljohnson123@mindspring.com), August 24, 1999.

An old issue of Organic Gardening (early to mid-70s) had an article about research done in USSR: to wit (by memory) mix manure into the bottom and side soil to help get a "plasticizing) soil bacteria growth active, which waterproofs the pond (wish I could find this article)...

-- Guy Winton (guyiii@home.com), August 26, 1999.