Here's the latest,
My now ex-pond -contractor/dirt mover would/can not pack the side of the pond. He feels he has done what he has promised and is finished....O well. Lesson learned.
I called another company who specializes in ponds and from whom I also got an estimate from to possibly pack the sides.
He said over the phone that he would have to install a liner which totally puzzled me because when he came out to give me an estimate he gave me a price and mentioned nothing about a liner. He said his reason was that he usually finds clay 1 foot below grade and in my case (clay 50" below grade) packing clay would only eventually crack and leak anyway. This seems contrary to what I read here. He said he would have informed me that I needed a liner (a 7000.00 extra) and if I could not afford it he would have filled the hole back in and gave me my money back.
So heres plan C
I am going to rent a mini excavator with a small bucket and a compactor and
go for it myself
I have dug several footings, piers, and been in heavy construction for nearly 30 years
My question is
Should i go for the packing plan of several thin layer of 6" compacted to a thickness of 1 1/2 '
or try the trench method. By the trench method recommended above I am assuming a bucket wide trench around the perimeter of the pond packed with clay.
I could do that on 3 sides but on one of the long sides i would have to go for the packing method.
the reason for the compactor is that the banks are too steep to drive anything.

Thanks for all the advice....