Question
I will try to explain this as thoroughly as I can.  I have built my 1st pond over a month ago.  I live in Charlotte NC and have a courtyard.  It is full of red clay and remains moist all the time with full sun.  All my plants have been very happy and it seemed the best place to create a pond.  I had dug the form myself failing to level it (this area slopes towards the sidewalk).  I used a flexible liner.  Once I filled it with water I realized it was not level.  I had intended to do it in the near future.  In the meantime we had alot of rain.  The liner started coming up.  I did not know what was going on so I decided to redo the pond.  I pulled up the liner to find it full of water underneath.  I drained this all out and built up the lower side and made sure it was level.  Then I also "dug" the overlapping liner in the sides.  I filled with water and was pleased with myself because already it was more asteticly pleasing.  I decided to wait and see.  The last few days we have had alot of rain and I am noticing a small protrusion in the lining.  My worst fears are not only redoing it but the fact that I may not be able to have a pond in this location.  I will tell you when it rains the gutter facing the highest side of the courtyard overflows with water.  I want so much to have this pond here as it is the perfect area.  If you have any ideas of what I can do I would appreciate it.  I can't afford a professional to come in so I need to work this out myself.

Thank you so very much,
Diane Armstrong

Answer
I think the problem is the red clay, because the clay does not drain well what is happening the water is getting behind the liner and the clay underneath acts like a pot that is filling up and displacing the liner. Here are some ideas, redirect the water from the gutters, take up the liner and put a flexible drain pipe on the low side to take away the water from the hole or fill the hole with about a foot of stone then cover the stone with plastic to prevent damaging the liner the stone would act as a buffer for the water until the clay could drain it away. Lift the sod around the pond about six inches deep and lay landscaping cloth down and replace the sod. This would slow the water penetration and allow the water to run off past the pond.

       I hope at least one of these ideas. Iwish you the best of luck because the pond in that location sounds like a great idea. Please let me know how things turn out

             KEEP PONDING
              Leigh