[permaculture] Pond construction
Stella
stella at finca-luna.com
Mon Dec 3 17:01:06 EST 2007
from the book "From Eco-Cities to Living Machines" (Nancy & John Todd),
p.72
"Russian scientist had wanted to find out why bogs and small ponds
often formed on top of rubble heap hills, places which under normal
conditions would not hold water for long. They discovered that this
was made possible through a biological process that occurs over rather
long periods of time, a process they called gley formation. Gley is
like a biological sealant or plastic that forms in the abscence of
oxygen when the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of accumulated plant material
is just right."
they go on to describe successfully trying a 'speeded up gley
formation' in coral islands (no clay) using shredded coconuts, wild
papaya, trunks leaves and stems (to provide the carbon-nitrogen ratio).
To drive out the oxygen and produce an anaerobic environment they
layed flimsy plastic on top, and on top of that, 6 inches of coral
sand.
Holzer doesn´t use pigs to make his ponds, but big machines and doesn´t
mention adding shit but emphasizes the swooshing about of the
water-earth mix (not mud, more water) which is what he says he observed
the pigs doing. It´s the compacting + later the flocculating fine
clay suspensions what make the seal.
(isn´t urine a deflocculant?)
El 01/12/2007, a las 18:13, Scott Pittman escribió:
>
>
> The method you describe Sepp Holtzer using is as old as the hills and
> is
> called gleying. You can use almost any domestic livestock that are
> penned
> into the pond area and fed and watered there. The side slopes of the
> pond
> should be gentle to accommodate animal access. Each day move the feed
> station a little so that the livestock is concentrated in a new area.
> It is
> the combination of their hoof action and their manure and urine that
> works
> to form a seal. This method works if you have sufficient clay
> content, it
> won't work in sand as far as I know.
>
> To improve your chances you could add a little bentonite clay to the
> soil
> before the animals are introduced. One source of bentonite is through
> drilling supply companies who use the a clay slurry to lubricate
> drilling
> bits. Often it is cheaper from the drilling companies than from other
> sources. Check the contents of the bentonite clay bag before
> purchasing.
> It has been years since I bought it and they may have added compounds
> that
> you don't want in your pond.
>
> You may have deposits of bentonite clay near you so check first.
> Bentonite
> is a composit of minerals primarily volcanic clays with the essential
> mineral monmorillonite which has the capacity of swelling many times
> its
> size when exposed to water.
>
> I have heard of using explosives to compact a pond if the leaks are
> small.
> This is done with a full pond and the explosive creates a pressure
> wave that
> causes the water to surge against the pond walls and compact the soil.
> Don't try this at home!
>
> Finally, Bill Mollison spoke of using green plant material anchored to
> the
> bottom of the pond. You could pen banana fronds to the bottom and
> sides of
> the pond and then fill it, bacteria acting on the organic material
> creates a
> biological mat that then is pulled into cracks or crevasses in the pond
> bottom sealing them. This obviously is for small leaks. I have also
> been
> told that grass clippings held in place with bamboo mats or old carpet
> can
> be used. I have never tried this nor talked to anyone who as so take
> with
> large and multiple grains of salt.
>
> The benthic communities that form this biomat also help remove
> nitrogen and
> phosphate from the water and thereby reduce algae bloom.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Scott Pittman
> Director
> Permaculture Institute
> www.permaculture.org
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vital Scherrer [mailto:vital233 at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 4:44 AM
> To: permaculture at lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [permaculture] Pond construction
>
> Thanks Carol and Stella!
> I'm afraid my subsoil doesn't have enough percentage of clay -
> according to
> the source mentioned below: "...the soil must have a 15% or higher clay
> content and 20-100% passing the #200 sieve." - nor is there any
> available as
>
> a liner.
> It sounds like Sepp's method is at least as labour-intensive as to use
> a
> plastic liner.
> I found quiet good information at
> "www.oneplan.org/Stock/wasteFac/manual4.shtml", where besides the soil
> and
> its moisture requirements, the best equipment for compaction is
> mentioned.
> The only one that I have seen around here is a
> smooth-drum-vibratory-roller.
> Though, as I am in doubt about the suitability of the soil, I probably
> better get some pigs and let them have a go at it. I guess if they
> can't do
> it, then I will have to forget about it or consider an artificial
> waterproofing.
> The method with the liner of soft organic material, which is covered
> with
> soil to turn into a water proofing slimy layer is not applicable
> either, as
> there is not enough such suitable material around here.
> About 15 years ago I helped Bill Mollison as a wwoofer at his place in
> Tyalgum. As far as I remember, the soil there was similar to the one I
> have,
>
> reddish of volcanic origin. Does anybody know how he built his ponds?
> (I'm
> sorry that I didn't ask him, but he spoke such a pronounced dialect,
> that I
> had too often difficulties to understand him.)
> Regards
> Vital
>
>
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