If the intent is to create a home for native turtles, such as the popular Painted Turtle, that exist in and around water you must offer an environment that is designed for the way they live. Mother Nature designed her home for these creatures by creating wetlands. Wetlands consist of a body of water, some shade, some sun and plenty of plant growth. An added benefit of creating this type of environment is that it will attract aquatic frogs, dragonflies, wild birds and other wild life.

If possible, the wetlands garden should be located where part of it is in shade and part is in sun. Turtles love to bask in the sun. This practice is nature’s way of helping the turtle digest his meal. On the other hand, shade is much appreciate at the hottest part of the day! If no shade is available naturally, shelters that appear natural can be constructed by placing a flat rock where it can form an overhang or by providing nooks and crannies where turtles can go to escape the hot, summer sun.

The body of water can be a pond with a sandy bottom and a slow-flowing stream or waterfall to keep the water fresh and aerated. It should be stocked heavily with as many species of water plants indigenous to the climate as one can find.

The water in the pond cannot be stagnant or it will transform into a cesspool of sorts so, to prevent that from happening, plan to install a gentle stream or waterfall. The movement of the water will do two things. It will prevent the pond from becoming a breeding tank for mosquitoes and it will aerate the water. If a submersible pump is used make sure it sits a few inches above the floor of the deepest part of the pond in a protective basket to keep leaves and sand from continuously clogging it up.

The depth of the pond should vary from one end to the other and is not required to be but a few feet at the deepest since this pond is not intended to house koi or goldfish. Turtles use the sand and fallen leaves on the bottom of the shallow part of the pond for winter hibernation and as a place to cuddle at night during warm weather.

Don’t skimp on the quality of the liner. 45 mil EPDM rubber is the best to use because it’s thick and flexible and able to withstand a lot of abuse by the pond’s wild inhabitants. Allow about a foot of extra liner on all sides of the pond and mound the edges under the liner with a ridge of soil to keep the edge of the liner above water level, thus preventing leaks. It’s okay and a good idea to line the bottom of this type of pond with rocks. We would never suggest that for koi ponds and ponds built to house any type of pond fish because the debris that gets trapped between the rocks does promote fish disease and parasitic infestation. That’s not a factor with a wetlands pond if there are NO fish inhabitants. Rocks and pebbles can help keep the water clear and hide the black liner.

A portion of the floor of the pond where it is shallow should be dedicated as a sleeping area and that’s where the thickest sand and/or debris should be accumulated. This is where Painted Turtles will spend their winter hibernation. It is not uncommon to find a bullfrog or two in this area of the pond because bullfrogs and greenfrogs both love to burrow in the sand.

The waterfall or stream is generally built after the pool has been installed and will sit slightly higher so the water will spill from one level to another. Too fast a flow will continually stir up the sand and debris that collects on the bottom and the water will never stay clear. A ball or knife valve installed into the line that leads to the top of the water return will allow flow rate adjustments.

It’s perfectly okay to hide the liner edges of the pond and the waterfall or stream by covering it with the same soil that is present on the outside of the pond. Most water plants tend to grow aggressively and, if planted directly into the moist soil on the sides of the pond or stream, will soon take over. Overgrown streambeds create huge leaks because it grows so thick that it will literally re-route the water so it can seep out over the edge of the liner. It’s best to contain aggressive water plants by placing them in pots. Use hardy plants that come back year after year and soften the edges of the pond and streambed. Cattails are excellent as well as pickerel rush and marginal grasses. Water bamboo is extremely invasive and care must be taken to keep it trimmed back so it doesn’t jump pot and take over your pond.

Duckweed, water hyacinths and water lettuce are all floating plants that can literally grow completely over and choke a pond in one summer. Introduction of these types of plants in natural wetlands has been a major concern if the wetlands are located in warmer climates where hyacinths and lettuce do not die back for the winter. We warn against introducing these plants in any ponds located in Central to Southern Georgia — or anywhere that doesn’t experience a freeze in winter.

Heavily plant around your wetland area. Use hardy plants indigenous to your area. Bushy plants and grasses provide even more shelter during hot, summer days.

One must decide whether to build a barrier around the wetland garden or not. It’s up to the individual’s taste. Barriers prevent turtles and some frogs from escaping so it becomes more of a refuge area. If the pond is built to accommodate an older pet turtle or to insure the turtles placed inside stay inside it is necessary to build a barrier. This can be done inside or outside the pond.

To keep an aquatic or semi-aquatic turtle within the confounds of the pond the lip of the pond must be the barrier. Think like a turtle. Can it climb out? Make the lip higher than the length of the longest turtle and it can’t have any footholds where turtle can get a grip. Turtles are excellent climbers and will soon be on their way. The lip might best be constructed so that it overhangs the pond all the way around. If a turtle is never to leave a pond there are two important rules of construction that should not be forgotten.

Turtles like to bask in the sun and must have a rock or log on which to climb and rest. If they cannot dry themselves out periodically a fungus can form that can destroy the shell of the turtle. Locate a basking spot or two in the middle of the pond where there is plenty of sunshine and they can’t reach the edge.

Make the pond wide enough to give them plenty of elbow room. Ten feet should be a minimum.

Another way to prevent turtles from leaving the garden is to build a border around the garden. This helps to prevent some predators from being able to get in as well as desired inhabitants from leaving. Materials such as landscape timbers, chicken wire, stacked stone and cement bricks can be used as long as care is taken to block attempts to climb. The wall should be taller than the length of the largest turtle and an overhang will help to secure the border. Turtles love to dig and can literally tunnel underneath any border placed in their way. The wall should extend underground at least a foot.

Many wetland gardens are constructed to attract neighborhood turtles and frogs. No barriers are used, only enticement! Turtles cannot resist a perfect wetland home. Sandy soils offer places to dig. Leaves and debris offer places to burrow and root. Grasses offer places to hide. Diving rocks jutting from the water at pond’s edge invite the turtle into the pond and allow a quick get-away should a predator approach. Fallen logs in shallow water provide sunning spots. Flat rocks in the water and outside the pond warmed by the sun are little turtle heavens!  We are animal lovers — animals of all kinds. A wetland area pond is perfect for wild birds and frogs as well as aquatic turtles but it’s not for fish. Do the fish a favor and build a goldfish or koi pond especially for their needs instead of adding them to this one. Enjoy your pond and have fun with the wildlife that will be attracted to it!

Since this article was written I received an email from Anita at the Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society. (www.gctts.org)   In this email she gave me a little more information that is very important information to know.  Her words were very eloquently put so I am including them as written: "...Female turtles must have easy access to land to lay eggs. Without land access, they may retain eggs and become seriously ill and die. Even if not kept with a male, females may try to lay eggs. Confining mature female turtles to a pond with no land access could kill them.  Also, we never recommend sand as a substrate because it can be ingested and impact the digestive tract."

From The Little Critters Edition of What's Up, Doc?, Jan & Feb 2002
© Copyright 2002, The Pond Doc's Water Garden Center. All rights Reserved. Reproduction of this article prohibited without prior consent of The Pond Doc.