Finishing the hole that will become your new pond

  After a lot of digging the feature is beginning to take shape. This is the point where tou'll want to make sure that any sharp or pointy stones that could push through your liner are removed from the bottom of your pond.  
   Some final checks with a good straight 2x4 and a carpenter's level will insure a consistant water level.
Using a board that is long enough to reach around all the sides of the pond makes it easy to swing the level around all the edges from various points. Watre will always come to level at the surface so your sides must also if the feature is to look natural.  
   Once all the sides are verified and losse debris that could puncture the liner are removed a landscape fabric is used to protect the lower surface of the liner from small particles that could damge it. Layers of old newspapers can also be used.
 An overveiw looking across the top of the waterfall with the fabric in place. Allowing the fabric to run "long" at this point makes sure that all areas are covered. The excess can be trimmed off later in the final finishing stage.  
   Another view. The baord across the top of the water fall is there from some final checks for level. If the water is to come over correctly it MUST BE LEVEL!
 Any rocks and boulders in the last couple of pics are only there temporarily at this stage to hold the fabric in place. Some of the ones on the outer sides will stay put.  

Continue to next segment>