Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Super squishy shoreline... will anything firm it ?

Hi All!
My pond here in the Canadian wilderness is just about perfect, even went for a swim twice this week with our 80 degree weather. BUT wading into the pond is really squishy. We seem to have a good clay content in our pond which is good news, but the squishy shores that get stirred up easy are unpleasant for guests (I am OK with it, personally). We're planning on adding a sandy beach about 4 feet in the water and 6 feet out, laying down a cloth barrier then masonry sand, so that should help a bit.
- Will the bottom settle and firm up over time?
- If not, is there anything we can do to help it firm up?
Thanks!!

I'm in SE Michigan and I have clay, same complaint here. I put landscape fabric around the edges and covered it with cobblestones to keep my dogs from tearing up the edges. This isn't easy to walk on either. For swimming the best solution is a dock with a ladder so you never touch bottom.

Unfortunately, only compaction with a sheeps foot roller after the soils have dried o the proper moisture range will "firm" it up, yet a clay bottom will always be a bit slick and squishy.

Thanks guys! I guess a sandy beach and a dock is what we will do! :-)