Originally Posted by
Paultergeist
This probably is not want you want to hear, but let me play Devil’s advocate for a moment:
You have — by all appearances — a very nice swimming pool, and you live in a part of the world where it makes sense to have a pool due to the warm weather. This pond proposal — if carried out — will likely make it difficult / expensive to ever convert that back to a swimming pool. That could be a factor if you ever decide to sell your house, or if your circumstances change and you ever want a pool again.
I would try to hard to consider a dedicated pond in a different location — thus sparing the use of the pool as a pond.
If you simply must use the pool (as a pond), then I would use the entire pool. I would opt for retro-fit bottom drains and no-nitch skimmers — such that everything can be plumbed up-and-over the edge......in this way, the pool will not be damaged and you can always convert it back to a pool if so desired.