For a natural pond with minimal work, the easiest method is to find a sloping area that already drains a lot of water and block it off with a small earthen dam. This eliminates the need to dig very much to create the pond’s structure, and it can be used for ponds ranging from a few dozen to thousands of gallons. If you do need to dig into the ground to create space for a pond on your property, look for marshy and wet areas where the water table is naturally high. This allows the space to fill up quickly as soon as you dig it. Even without a liner, these ponds generally stay filled year round unless there’s a drought.
Don’t assume that pre-formed pond liners make the process any faster or easier. Flexible liners are much more adaptable, dramatically reducing the work needed for site prep. Unlined ponds tend to only work well in areas with high water tables or constant refilling from steady rainfall and runoff. If you don’t want to regularly top up your pond with water from a house or well, make sure it’s lined. All types of dam and excavation construction will work with a flexible liner.
