Koi Ponds and Retaining Walls
Doug says
The deal is simple. You can build a retaining wall out of anything you like. It is an economic decision and a landscaping "look" decision rather than a structural decision. What do you like the look of? What can you afford? How steep is the slope?
Any or all of these materials, if used properly, will and can be used to construct a retaining wall.
The point you have to understand though is that you're going to have to give yourself a stable area first and have it filled with soil. You can't just build a wall and lean the water up against that wall expecting the wall to hold it. Not going to happen without some serious engineering.
I once put a small display pond into our nursery and wanted to do it quickly. I put two railroad ties high - staked the outside with steel posts for support and to post signs on - filled it with a liner and started filling it with water. As soon as the water got about halfway up the second tie, the sides started bulging out and that was that. Water is heavy stuff.
This sounds like it is a situation for an experienced builder. Or, somebody willing to get experience the hard way. :-)
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