[johnkeegan]

I wonder if any of you have ever attempted to build a pond that was designed to accomodate swimming, wading, diving etc. This past summer I visited alot of swimming holes with my kids and saw how enthralled they(and I) were with diving off rocks, rope swings, laying beneath waterfalls etc. It brought back my childhood and also piqued my curiousity, i.e. what would it take to recreate these features in a pond?
Now I'm sure many of you are saying, "Just have someone install a pool." Not the same. I've seen some beautiful pools that probably cost up $50-70K with amenities. But after the initial "Wow," they bored the hell out of me. Of course, I hate chlorine anyways. And aesthetically, it's impossible in a country setting to install a pool without "suburbanizing" the property.
I'm thinking of a pond approx. 50'x40' with a deep end of 8 feet that transitions into a shallower wading area. Also, a stream with a waterfalls for me to wallow in with a cold beer on a hot day. Obviously, plants and fish are allowed too.
Aquacapes had a seminar recently for just such a "swimming pond" as they called it. But I didn't feel like driving to Jersey and spending $500 for the privelege of buying their products. But, once again, they probably are infront of the curveball on this one.
I'll attempt to attach a design I just whipped up with Designware roughly outlining my idea but many times these files end up so big in the design process that they don't translate well after I shrink them.

[Stonehenge]

If this would be for a client, I would think the first thing you'd need is an insurance policy for $10 million or so. As I'm reading your post I'm saying out loud - "oh", "eesh", "yikes", As I picture some kid swinging off a tree and hitting his head on a rock you placed in a pond you built. I think it's a great idea, and one that might have potential for growth (BIG water features seem to be gaining in popularity here) - just have to figure out how to limit liability.

As for the pond itself - we kind of created one like that with our most recent work - it's got roughly 60-70,000 gallons in it, and does not use a rubber liner. The sides are too steep to be a practical swimming pond, but I've always been interested in figuring out a way to make a sand beach using some derivative of the aquascapes system, without the sand getting sucked toward the pump units or ending up at the bottom of the pond.

[trees]

I would think that sand would be out of the question. Not just because of getting sucked toward the pumps, but because in something that artificial and small (relative to natural lakes) it could go anaerobic in a heartbeat and make a big, smelly mess. That is, unless you put a filter intake UNDER the sand and had fresh water drawn down through it... hmmm...

Where there's a will, there's a way, I guess.

You're talking big $$$ for a pond that big, even if you build it yourself. There's a lot of biology to consider with something like that. I'm curious to see if you decide to pursue this further and will be happy to give my 2 cents along the way...

[jwholden]

Doesn't Gregg Wittstock, Aquascapes guru, have a man made pond surrounding his castle using the very same products he sells.

I see it as a possibility, but yes some research would be neccesary.

Sand in the pump, don't Aquascape ponds have a skimmer system so the water that is pumped only comes from the top two inches of the pond?

I know it can be done with some research. I don't know how much it will cost or how to go about doing it. But a solution is there at 1 800 aquascapes.

[Bill Schwab]

We are designing one as we speak. The swimming pool will have a free formed rock scape theme with a hidden cove and a beach entry. Through the hidden cove will be a glass window edge below the water line separating the fish from the swimming area. So, essentially, there will be two separate shot crete pools and water falls.

From the surface, it will look as though a rock ledge has divided the two, but are in effect the same body of water. The outer edge is a glass vanishing edge, cantilevered over the mountainside so it will appear as though the water os falling off the edge like a dam. I guess this won't be sold ever to feng shui practitioners

[Stonehenge]

Bill - how are you addressing the beach entry? Is it sand, or is it like public pools that have a very, very shallow end that slowly deepens?

To build on what trees said, it'd be possible to build a bog-type system (snorkel and centipede), overdigging the beach area quite a bit, and filling with successively smaller stones until it's almost like a beach - maybe down to pea pebble sized stuff. (trees thought got the juices flowing on that one. )

[ianc]

http://www.gartenart.co.uk/

this looks like a good fit for what you are trying to accomplish

~ian

[Bill Schwab]

The beach entry is actually rubberized pebble-tech that uses real sand in the rubber and feels just like wet beach sand. Then the pool bottom is done in pebble-tech which will have a dark blue color and exposed pebble like rocks through out.

[johnkeegan]

This site also had some interesting step-by-step photos. But the project shown is on a much grander scale. http://www.russellwatergardens.com/P...nstruction.htm

[r schipul]

I have a sister that lives on Martha's Vineyard. She once took me to the coolest manmade swimming pool I had ever seen. I never met the owners or had a chance to ask any questions but it was carved out like a typical formal pool then lined with clay. A dam was created on one end using huge granite slabs which the water then fell to a brook below. Awesome.

[Stonehenge]

Some great ideas on both of those sites -

I didn't know there were solar panels you could use to heat a pond, and I notice the Russel site the guys appeared to use some sort of foam sheet to place the boulders on to protect the liner. Thee probably could've saved some dollars and labor if they'd have rented a crane to sling the boulders, but the results on the project are pretty amazing.

[johnkeegan]

A few of you mention the possibility of sand getting "sucked into the pump." Does that mean you believe there should be a center drain in the pond? Perhaps that's necessary, but I was hoping to use the skimmer/ "grande" falls set up or maybe an accompanying "bog" to do the cleaning. Again, any input is appreciated because even though I am familiar with rudimentary pond/stream building it's more on a scale of 8'x11'.
And, Stone, I agree that there are unique liability issues involved. Although, I promise not to put the rope swing next to the "jumping rock." But if you've ever seen 5 or 6 seven-year-olds running around on a wet Stampcrete deck as they divebomb into the pool, you might have to say, "Is it really that much bigger a risk." Also, I've got a friend paralyzed from the waist down because at age 16 he dove into a four foot deep pool. So, is it really any more dangerous than a common pool if it's properly designed and the kids are properly supervised?... probably not. But, will an insurance adjuster see it as just another reason to raise your rates anyhow?... probably.

[Stonehenge]

I think having a skimmer for the sake of cleaning debris from the surface of the water would be a good thing, but I don't think you could move enough water with a single pump to do that (though I think I saw a skimmer box that had 2 pumps in it once). I think a second one at the bottom of the water (bog-type) would help.

As for the sand - I'm just thinking the scouring action of the water will pull the sand to every place you don't it to be, including gumming up filters and pumps. That Russell site shows that it's clearly possible; I'd just like to know how that was done.

[Bill Schwab]

That pond looks pretty awesome! Problem with here is no one would have the property that big to grant the building of such an item, so, we improvise with pools and so fourth.

[trees]

Yeah, the 2 pump system, with one running a skimmer and the other running a bog is definitely the way to go. It gives you a lot better filtration (which will be necessary to keep the water clean enough to swim in).

That huge pond on the Russell site is awesome! Looks like they just built a stone retaining wall to keep the sand back. I'd bet dollars to donuts that the sand doesn't stay put entirely, but given the sheer volume, it probably won't have to be replaced/refreshed for some years to come.

Stuff like that really gets the juices flowing, doesn't it? Where do you find clients like that? I bet that pond cost as much as my house!