Next, place your spill stones so that the water will fall into the pool below. Continue placing edge rocks along the course of the waterway, bringing the liner up behind the stones and packing dirt against the liner so that it rises a few inches above the expected water level. ![]() Position a flat, vertical face stone between the two flanking rocks, tall enough to support the spill stone over which the water will pour (figure 2). Place larger, preferably vertical, stones at the sides of each waterfall with an extra piece of rubber liner underneath to cushion the weight. Leave some slack at the base of each waterfall so that heavier rocks won’t stretch and weaken the liner. ![]() Large anchor rocks will hide this surface extension and help to hold the liner in place (photo 3). To calculate how much liner you will need, add all horizontal and vertical dimensions plus two feet for the surface extensions in both directions. It should extend a foot beyond all edges and drape into the tub or reservoir basin. Then lay the liner over the entire course of the waterway. Cut the carpet to fit the horizontal and vertical spaces (photo 2). The carpet should be of synthetic material to last a long time in contact with the soil. Commercial underlayment is not cheap and so I chose an alternative material: discarded carpet. Then put in a fabric underlayment that will protect the liner from puncture when large rocks are placed on it. Remove any sharp objects in the bottom of your dug course. Follow the same process for each waterfall upstream if you plan for more than one. Continue digging the stream bed uphill above the fall, allowing about a 2″ drop per linear foot for good water movement and sound. Next, make the vertical cut into the hillside the height of the waterfall you want, counting the thickness of the spill rock over which the water will run for your total height. Note: if you live in a freezing climate, make sure the pump is easy to disconnect and remove for winter. In my case, I put a heavy plastic milk-bottle crate in the tub to support the tub lid and surface rocks (figure 1). This arrangement is necessary to support the larger rocks on the surface that disguise the reservoir. Holes drilled in the side of the container allow entrance of water from the surrounding reservoir, which is full of golf-ball-to-tennis-ball-size rocks. The area you dig for the pool and watercourse should be a foot or more wider than the eventual stream width (to allow for edge rocks that line the course), but not wider than the tub.Īn alternative to the tub is a steep-sided basin, lined with underlayment and rubber liner, and holding a lidded container for the pump. The top of the reservoir should be a little below ground level and will determine the level of the pool below the (Example: if your stream averages 6″ wide and 3″ deep, each linear foot of flowing water will contain about a gallon ). The tub size will depend on the width and length of your stream. I used a plastic utility tub as a simpler and less expensive container (photo 1). A zigzag course, where the water changes direction below each fall, is the most interesting.ĭig the pit for the reservoir first. Mark the shape of the waterfall with spray paint or short stakes. ![]() Unless there is already an established drop across the area you have chosen for your tumbling stream, you will need to elevate the head of the waterfall with fill dirt and rocks. EPDM rubber is resistant to ozone and UV light, and comes with a 20-year warranty but may last 30 or more years outdoors.Ī waterfall should have enough drop to develop a good cascade for visual and auditory appeal (2″ minimum 6″ is better). The best liner is made of EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene monomer), 40 mil in thickness, and costing as little as 43¢ per square foot. The drawback to PVC of any thickness is its vulnerability to ultraviolet-light degradation. PVC plastic liner in 20-, 30-, and 40-mil thickness costs as little as 37¢ per square foot. Polyethylene liner is least expensive-as little as 32¢ per square foot for 20-mil thickness. The technique I’ll describe here is typical for waterways made with readily obtainable liner materials. The buried reservoir is disguised with a covering of rocks, and the water simply disappears from view among the stones. Instead, a pondless water feature utilizes a hidden (typically underground) reservoir that contains the recirculating pump and holds all the water needed to fill the waterway. Recirculating streams and waterfalls do not have to end in ponds or visible pools. However, I won’t deal with ponds in this article because I want to introduce you to the concept of pondless waterfalls. It’s hard to beat the sight and sound of moving water or the mirrored allure of a pond. ![]() In considering the infrastructure of garden railways, waterways come high on the list of those items that are best built early in the process.
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