No, an earthen lagoon should never "absorb" liquid; if you notice pond levels dropping through multiple freeze-thaw cycles, you probably have a leak. Here is what's happening: when soil freezes, the water it holds expands, forcing the soil particles apart and creating deep cracks. When the ground thaws, those cracks don't close up. Instead, they act like open drains, channeling water out of the lagoon into the surrounding soil.
These changes can happen gradually and are typically out of sight, but the consequences are real. If you see significant volume loss in winter, treat it as a containment breach, not a seasonal variation. Nutrients leaking into the subsoil can easily travel to groundwater, so a quick response is essential.
