I have a couple of small dry ponds that won't hold water and I'm sick and tired of wasting $ and labor on bentonite. I'm considering liners. I remember when my latest pond first filled. I checked alkilinity and found almost none. I then learned that alkilinity comes from the soil and has to leach into the water. Rain water is neutral. How does this work when using a liner? It sounds like it becomes a big aquarium where water quality would have to be constantly monitored like a swimming pool or a gold fish bowl. What are the waste build-up considerations? It seems like you would have to keep livestock away from it and maybe wildlife. I can imagine a heron or egret puncturing it. What other considerations are there? What kind of site preparation is needed?

Thanks
Dave

Dave,
Once you get past the actual cost of a liner, there are several other issues. It must be installed professionally, with proper ditching, seams, no air pockets. Packed with good soils on top, as deep to avoid puncture.
Once you get there, expect management issues. Limited soils, poor quality, lend to water quality problems later. I have worked on a pond north of you, along the Red River. After three years, the landowner had a total kill. Initially, we thought it was due to waste buildup. He siphoned and pumped it empty, installed a bottom water release pipe, and for several years was able to flush nasty bottom water. He refilled by pumping from the Little Wichita River.
Restocked, fish growing well, aeration system installed, he had another fish kill. But, this one had nothing to do with his management, the liner, or soils. Water he pumped from the Little River introduced golden algae.
He's still heartsick, trying to learn about golden algae enough to create a third attempt at a fishery.
For your situation, a liner would be a good choice, but be prepared to add lime and buffer your water from time to time. It's completely doable.

that really sucks Dave .... theres no clay somewhere around that area to snag. buy a dump , hoe and a trailer , move what you need from somewhere , then sell them. i not familiar with that area , but has to be somebody to hook you up with some. Texas been getting tons of rain. if i could i'd send ya plenty , the shipping might hurt some.