Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds light and variable..

Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.

As you fill the pond with water, variations in the elevation of the top of the pond will become more noticeable.

Dig your pond so that you have some flat shelves at various depths. These shelves make it easier to clean your pond and will accommodate plants that live in different depths of water,

An underlayment should be installed to protect the liner from rocks or sharp objects that may be in the ground.

As you fill the pond with water, variations in the elevation of the top of the pond will become more noticeable.

Dig your pond so that you have some flat shelves at various depths. These shelves make it easier to clean your pond and will accommodate plants that live in different depths of water,

An underlayment should be installed to protect the liner from rocks or sharp objects that may be in the ground.

In early spring my husband and I started dreaming of a restorative place in our own backyard where we could enjoy our local birds, frogs, and other critters. We wanted a water feature that would also attract wildlife and make calming gurgles and splashes. So, we decided to build a backyard pond.

Because wildlife is threatened by the loss of habitat, we wanted to provide a safe haven for them by including native plants for food, shelter, and water. Birds like shallow areas that can be formed by having a few rocks on a ledge in a pond. Birds are also attracted to moving water. Placing a waterfall near shrubs and tree branches provides a safe area for birds while bathing and drinking. Following are ten steps that summarize the methods we used in building our backyard pond.

1. Decide on a location and size of your pond.

After doing a considerable amount of research, we decided to make our pond about 11 feet long by nine feet wide. The deepest part is three feet to allow for overwintering fish and certain plants. We chose a location that receives at least six hours of sun as that is ideal for most water plants.

Select a level area where your pond will not collect much runoff that may contain pesticides or other chemicals. Do not place your pond in an area with a high water table as it may cause the liner of your pond to buckle. Start by forming the outside shape of your pond with a rope, then spray paint the outline before you begin digging.

Dig your pond so that you have some flat shelves at various depths. These shelves make it easier to clean your pond and will accommodate plants that live in different depths of water, too. A shallow area will also be a good place for birds to bathe. We made shelves that are one and two feet deep, with the bottom having a depth of three feet.

Once you have dug the pond, it is important to make it as level as possible. We found that a good method for doing this is to pound in stakes at one-foot intervals along the edge of the pond and attach black landscaping edging to them with screws. You can raise or lower the stakes to set the top of your pond along the edging. We then laid a board across the pond and used a level to get it as even as possible. You will also need to dig a trench on the outside of the edge for securing the liner.

Measure the maximum length of your pond. Start at the edge, go down to the maximum depth including the shelves, and measure across to the opposite side. Do the same for the width. Add approximately two feet to both measurements. Use this and/or a formula you can find on a pond internet site to calculate the amount of material to buy. This will also help to determine number of gallons of water required to fill your pond.

First, an underlayment should be installed to protect the liner from rocks or sharp objects that may be in the ground. For a free form pond, consider using EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), which is made of rubber and lasts longer than other liners. Next, place the liner so that there is an extra foot of material all the way around the pond edge. Tuck the edges of the liner in around the black landscaping piece you attached to the stakes. To make the pond look more natural, we added a final external layer of “Rock on a Roll”. This sandy brown colored material blends in with our local rocks and makes a pleasant and softer look.

It is important to secure your liner before filling your pond to make sure it is level. As you fill the pond with water, variations in the elevation of the top of the pond will become more noticeable. We made a few adjustments to the outside edge after filling the pond because we could then see where it was not level. Let the liner settle, and then trim the edges to about six inches all around with a box cutter.

Place rocks around half of the sides of the pond. Most people ring their whole pond with rocks, but we went with a more natural look of a combination of rocks and soil for plants. We searched our local area for good moss-covered rocks and other objects of interest such as unusual wood pieces.

5. Add a pump, filters, and waterfall

This step is optional if you do not plan to have fish and you do not care if your water gets murky. But if you want clear water, you should add a filter and a waterfall or fountain to help aerate the water and keep it clear. A skimmer will help eliminate anything floating on top of the pond.

We decided to put in a filter, pump, and skimmer to help keep the pond clean. There are three types of filters; a mechanical filter removes large particles, a biological filter removes high nitrogen levels, and a plant filter has water go through a gravel bed to remove bacteria, and uses enzymes to remove ammonia.

It is important to purchase a pump that is the right size for your pond. Place the pump at the bottom of the pond but raise it up slightly so that it will not get clogged. We added a splitter to the outflow of the pump so that some of the water went through a tube up to the back of our waterfall and the rest emptied into the pond.

6. Add plants to the outside of your pond

Your pond should complement the rest of your yard. For this reason, we collected ferns, rushes and other plants from the local area to fit in with our natural yard. You can add a variety of plants to surround your pond. Many species of plants attract birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects. Adding a diverse array of plants along with logs and rocks will provide food and cover for both water and terrestrial species around your pond.

Beneficial native flower species that you can plant around your pond include dwarf joe-pye (Eutrochium pupureum ‘Little Joe’), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), bee-balm (Monarda didyma), and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). Shrubs include black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), winterberry (Ilex verticullata), and spicebush (Lindera benzoin).

Some of our favorite local ferns to use are the Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), and Marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris). We also used rushes (Juncus gymnocarpus) inside and just outside the pond.

7. Add plants to the inside of your pond

Plants provide shade and cover for fish and help keep down the algae by limiting sunlight and removing excess nutrients from the water. Plants help improve the pond water quality, so you do not need to use harmful and expensive chemicals. Using native plants will help make it harder for invasive species to take over. There are four plant types to consider using in your pond.

Marginal or shallow water plants are good filter plants because of their large root systems. Marginals or bog plants have roots at least partially submerged. Many marginal plants, such as joe-pye, Northern blue flag (Iris versicolor), rushes (Juncus gymnocarpus), and pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata), are especially attractive to either butterflies or dragonflies.

To place marginal plants in a pond, you will have to adjust the depths at which their pots stand in the water. Shelves built right into the pond can hold marginals. These plants can be placed in geo-textile bags of soil, pea gravel or clay so their roots can spread and get nutrients from the water.

Submerged plants, or oxygenators, are those that are completely under water in a deep area. Submerged plants release oxygen and obtain their nutrients primarily from the water. A water lily (Nuphar and Nymphaea spp.) is a deep-water plant. The lotus flower (Nelumbo spp.) is a large deep-water plant, making it better suited to large ponds. Plant submerged plants in shallow pots with some clay and gravel, place some rocks on top, and slowly and sink them to the bottom.

Floating plants need no soil as the roots gather nutrients from the water. Some floating plants such as the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), water lettuce (Pistia stratioesera) are the easiest to incorporate and help filter out waste from the pond. If you want to add floating plants, it is important to cover no more than 70% of the surface of the pondwater.

8. Make a floating plant island

A plant island is like a floating pond planter. It allows water in while protecting the plants from being eaten by hungry fish. It is constructed to stay afloat on the surface of a pond and may contain plants that help clean the water. This is especially beneficial if you have not built shelves into your pond.

We constructed our island by forming a pool noodle into a small circle and attaching it with PVC pipe and duct tape. We covered the foam ring with some extra pond underlayment and then placed a mesh plant basket in the center and covered it with underlayment to hold the soil, gravel, and plants.

Fish need to have a safe, relaxing place to escape from predators. A good fish habitat will provide hiding places and areas for algae, plankton, and other food sources to grow.

If you want to add fish to your wildlife pond, it is best to include native species that you would find in a natural pond. Many smaller sunfish species or minnows can be kept in a backyard pond. Goldfish or koi are most appropriate in an ornamental pond. Adding any type of fish to your backyard pond means additional effort in maintaining water quality, temperature, and an adequate food source. Most fish also require a pond depth of at least three feet.

When your pond is finished, relax as you watch the dragonflies and damselflies flit about. Enjoy the birds as they discover a newfound spot in which to bathe and drink. The sight and sound of your new water feature will benefit you as well as the wildlife and bring you joy for years to come!

Learn more about building a backyard pond:

PennState Extension Fact Sheet: Water for Wildlife. Detailed how-to on building a backyard pond, along with lists of suppliers for building materials and plants. https://extension.psu.edu/water-for-wildlife-bird-baths-and-backyard-ponds

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