SMALL PONDING

Building a conservation campsite ministry in water starved area, we were delighted when the survey report revealed that Camp Besania’s land extends a few meters into a wetland that is fast chocking with gardens and a few houses. With all excitement we started excavating a small pond into the water table for a calming effect on the site, promoting wildlife and watering plants. Behold the aquifers!! 

We could not wait to plant-up the pond, do the stone works and attract aquatic life. Frogs and some birds notably the hadada ibis, guinea fowls and grey herons quickly found their way to the habitat. We sought to introduce papyrus, water hyacinth and lilies to kill the algae and keep the water clean and clear. Food crops like yams are another great idea especially for the banks. We will make good of the excavated clay soil to make thousands of bricks for our construction work, we thought.

How naïve we were to think that excavating a pond is the same as digging a hole in the drainage basin and letting it fill! No its not, otherwise it turns out costly and time consuming. When the hand diggers started bickering over the heaviness of the work we quickly replaced them with an excavator and an experienced pond builder. A number of issues came to the fore – the need to protect the surrounding property, to plan the ledges or contours, to understand the slope and the water table, to consider the vertical versus slanting walls, the rocks and gravel, the berm and the types of plants to be grown. And the clay soil? Not all of it would be free for brick making. A lot would be required for levelling and strengthening the ground.

All this and more humbled us back to the drawing table. See you soon when we get back on course.