creating a pond to drain water from soggy yard

Hi,

I have a yard that's soggy in places. The soil's mostly clay and
stones. I had a landscaper out for a free consultation on solving the
problem and he suggested building a small pond (10' x 15' x 4 ' deep at
the deep end) in the low corner of the yard and next year if necessary,
put in some underground pipes to help drain water into it. From reading
the FAQ for this list, it seems to me that I wouldn't be creating a pond
but a small swamp.

Have any of you done this kind of thing successfully?

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

Janet in Amherst MA