Now that the pond is empty do you see any holes or other signs of where the water has been going?
I'm no pro but the way I understand it you need some dampness to get compaction but to wet and you can't compact it. I would think if the Bentonite gets to wet it will swell before you get it compacted. I would think that you want to get it compacted before it swells to much so it will seal better.
