A pond can be a valuable asset to a farm or suburban landowner. A well-planned and built pond can provide livestock water, fishing opportunities, soil erosion control, fire protection, and a nice place to relax. Probably the most common reason a pond in the Ozarks leaks is because the wrong soil was used for sealing it or because the right soil was improperly compacted.
Some folks think a bulldozer does a good job of compaction.
7-9 D7 Cat. The rules of good compaction hold true for building animal and household waste lagoons as well. Soil moisture is a critical element in the compaction process. Many of the blocky clay Ozarks soils are quite leaky in their natural state.