Pond Waterfalls

How to build a Pond waterfall

A pond waterfall can add a very nice and peaceful touch to your garden. Having a balmy waterfall in your own backyard can be the most relaxing view on a stressful day. The happy babble of pure water over beautiful shiny rocks is a sight that most people cannot resist. The first step towards building a pond waterfall is to go and get some pictures of a real life waterfall. There are certain principles followed by natural waterfalls that can best be emulated when we have a picture of the real thing in front of us.

The first thing is to get the size of the pond waterfall in proportion. The pond waterfall you design should not be too big for your pond. Most people, in their zeal, tend to build too big with too much water. It is therefore better to have a clear view of what it is that you want to build. The topography, pipe size, pump size, pond size are some of the factors that will affect the design of your pond waterfall. Another common mistake made by people is to build too tall. A pond waterfall that is about two feet high will be visually more appealing than one that is four feet high, though the effect may not be quite so dramatic.

When building a pond waterfall, three factors need to be taken into consideration: the volume of water that will be flowing down, the distance that the water travels in its fall, and the place that the water is falling into. The sound made by the pond waterfall changes depending upon the medium on to which the water falls, Water falling into a shallow pool, water falling on rocks, or water flowing around rocks makes their own distinctive sounds. The height of the waterfall also dictates the volume of the sound made by the pond waterfall.

Most of the times a pond waterfall makes good use of elevation. A landscape designer may exploit a slope on the site or erect a berm (an artificial elevated area) to create the desired effect. When building your pond waterfall, lay a flexible liner on the ground. The liner lies behind the water from the top of the waterfall till the pond. It is held in place by using boulders. This is useful only if you are building large pond waterfalls.

Mostly people will need only a small and soothing pond waterfall. Pre-cast concrete forms that mimic a waterfall path is an expensive but useful alternative when you build a pond waterfall. Using natural rocks can be the cheapest alternative. About 25-35 rocks of various shapes and sizes; some of them quite large is what you will need. Flatter rocks are more useful as they are easier to balance. On a level building site, placing the pond waterfall 5-8 feet from the pond is a good design strategy.

A wide EPDM rubber liner can be used under the stream. This rubber liner will help to contain the splashing of the water as well as make allowances for the twists and turns in the course of the water in your pond waterfall. After putting the rubber liner in place, hide the sides with rocks and stones. Add the bigger boulders in such a way that water will flow around them. Try out various combinations to find out which one is the most visually appealing for your pond waterfall. Using black waterfall foam in order to direct the water over the stone is a good idea. This foam will expand quite a lot, so it should be used sparingly.

Building a dazzling pond waterfall of course requires some amount of patience and creativity. Staying close to nature by emulating some of her wonderful waterfalls is an easy way out. Once you get going, the pleasure of seeing the pond waterfall come alive in your hands will be satisfaction enough. Add to that the unceasing delight that clear flowing water can provide, and your pond waterfall will become the focal point of your garden.

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