Part 6 of 8: Installing a Waterfall and Stream

Imagine falling water sparkling in the sunlight or glittering in the soft glow of concealed lights at night while you enjoy the delightful relaxing sound of tumbling water. A natural looking cascade or waterfall, when properly installed, can make a good water garden great, a great water garden spectacular. A waterfall adds the dimensions of movement and sound to the beauty of the water garden.

Before planning your waterfall, you may want to visit natural waterfalls or look at photos to get a general idea how water flows around and over the rocks. The design of your waterfall will depend on topography, pump and pipe size, length of water flow from pump to falls, pond size and, possibly, other site-specific factors.

While it is tempting to make a very tall waterfall, in reality a 2-foot drop will produce a very satisfactory effect both visually and audibly. Don’t try to recreate Niagara Falls. Keep the elements of your water feature in scale with the surroundings. If your pond is just 4x6-feet, for example, you don't want a large, three foot wide waterfall. Keep the angle as shallow as possible and use stones and plants to blend it into the landscape.

In addition to beauty, an EcoFalls waterfall provides a self-contained filtration system with all the elements necessary to keep your pond sparkling clean. PondEco has eliminated most of the confusion associated with selecting a system by creating easy-to-install kits customized to your needs. Kits are differentiated by size (number of gallons of water) and contain all the materials you need to construct the pond, including a correctly-sized EcoFalls Filter.

The Melody System is for ponds up to 2,000 gallons and supports pumps up to 4,000 gallons per hour. The Harmony System is used for ponds up to 4,000 gallons and its EcoFalls can handle ups up to 8,000gph. Finally, the Symphony System is designed for pond larger than 4,000 gallons and includes two complete EcoFalls units.

Pond pumps bring your pond and waterfall to life. The reflections, ripples and sounds of moving water, whether gentle or dramatic, will greatly enhance the beauty of your pond and your enjoyment of it. More importantly, a pump will assist in maintaining the health of your pond by circulating and aerating the water. Good aeration means oxygen levels in the water will be kept high even during the warmest weather when fish could be at risk. A pump can be considered the “heart” of the pond, enabling water to be run through ultraviolet clarifiers and filters, or to fountain and waterfalls, adding life and health to the whole feature. See our pumps section for technical information.

Site selection will determine the location of your EcoFalls waterfall. Tight quarters may require installation of the EcoFalls at the very edge of the pond, or your site may lend itself to a long meandering stream. The waterfall/filter unit should be placed on level, stable ground and above the water level of the pond. If you are working on a slope, you have the option of placing the waterfall/filter uphill from the pond and creating a series of cascading waterfalls. Even on a level site, it's a good design strategy to place the falls six to eight feet from the pond to create a short stream to the pond. Even a two- to three-foot setback can add a dramatic effect. A stream only needs a one-inch drop in elevation per 10 feet to affect a flow from the top down to the pond. Dirt removed during the excavation of your pond can be used to create streams on level ground. To maximize circulation, the EcoFalls and skimmer are placed on opposite ends of the pond, directly across from each other.

Since the EcoFalls filter is typically the centerpiece of any garden pond, it should be positioned facing the viewing area, visible from both home and patio. Unless you are adding a stream, place it close to the pond so you can connect your pond liner directly to the EcoFalls snout.

Some natural style ponds are built to create the illusion of a mountain stream with the EcoFalls unit used as a reservoir at the top of the stream. These streams can be elaborate, with several levels, small waterfalls and creative twists and turns. Large boulders and flat stones are used in combination with river pebbles to create the look of a naturally formed stream and to provide for cascading effect that will create an attractive, naturalistic look as well as a relaxing sound of falling water. The sound of the water can actually be "fine-tuned" through the careful arrangement and placement of the stones.

When you are digging out your stream, dig deep enough to allow for the thickness of all the rocks. Use a wide rubber liner under the streambed. This will allow for those twists and turns in the course of the water and also contain splashing. A 10-foot wide stream liner is recommended. Underlayment under the falls and stream liners is usually not required. When a adding a stream, you'll need to purchase an extra section of liner and extra PVC pipe. For example a 10-foot long stream would require a 10x15-foot section of stream liner and an extra 25 feet of PVC pipe.

Our PondEco kits are shipped complete with 2-inch flexible PVC piping for connecting the EcoFalls to the skimmer. Care should be taken to place this plumbing so it can be easily hidden. Once your pond is excavated and before the filter is put into place, lay out the PVC pipe and trench it where necessary. The pipe can also be concealed under the edge of the liner and under rocks. Flexible PVC can withstand extreme weather conditions so it is not necessary to bury it.

A firm base is required to prevent the heavy filter unit from settling or becoming uneven and leaking. Prepare the site carefully and tamp it down before setting the EcoFalls filter into place. To avoid creating a volcano look, do not place the EcoFalls too high. In some cases you may want to dig it into the ground a few inches to create the perception that Mother Nature herself created the waterfalls.

Use a 2-foot level to be sure your EcoFalls is level from side to side and tilts forward approximately one quarter of a bubble on the level. The filter is now ready for the flexible PVC to be glued into place using cement provided with your PondEco kit. Prime the inside of the PVC fitting and also the outside of the pipe where the flexible cement will be applied. After priming, apply the cement to the fitting and the PVC pipe and fit the two pieces together. Hold the pipe into the fitting for 60 seconds to allow the glue to slightly set. Wait until the glue is completely set before you begin to bury the EcoFalls.

Before you start to backfill around the EcoFalls install the PVC support tubes provided with your kit. If you don’t do this now, you may not be able to get them in place later. We recommend having someone stand inside the EcoFalls to keep it level while the berm is being built. The excavated soil from the pond can be backfilled around the sides and back of the EcoFalls creating this berm. Firmly tamp the soil while backfilling to reduce settling. Any additional soil can be used to fashion a stream, cover the PVC pipe or spread around the pond to create a planting bed for perennials and annuals.

When you are satisfied with the placement of your EcoFalls, it’s time to connect your liner to the filter. The fish-friendly liner locks into the EcoFalls Filter snout with a revolutionary interlocking channel and spline design, so leaks are never a worry. Follow the detailed instructions provided with your PondEco kit.

Now you’re ready to turn your EcoFalls into a work of art by adding stone and plant material. Though it requires creativity and patience, building a waterfall is extremely satisfying. You may want to visit some natural waterfalls or streams, or look at pictures to see how the rocks are placed by nature. But the truth is, trial and error is the best method of creating your masterpiece.

The construction of the waterfall can make or break a water feature. Take your time when building it. Step away from it often to look at the placement of rocks from the viewing area. Visualize where plants will be installed. Set them into place temporarily if you have them. Be patient. Don't be in a hurry. Try several (or many) combinations and visualize how the water will flow.

The waterfall will always look better and more natural if large, irregular stones are used in the construction. Do not stack small flat rocks together to build the waterfall … your finished product will look more like a chimney than a waterfall. Start by selecting larger stones to build a foundation. Place these large rocks on each side of the face of the EcoFalls. These rocks are used to camouflage the filter unit and blend it into the landscape.

Now it’s time to construct the actual waterfalls. Carefully select the stones you will use and remember the effect of the waterfall can be changed dramatically by the placement of stone. For a sheeting effect stack rocks directly against the front of the EcoFalls, for a splashing effect set stones sloping away from the EcoFalls. Keep the rocks tilted slightly forward so the water will run forward, not behind the rocks. Stack the rocks up until they reach the level where you will be placing the EcoFalls snout stone. Failure to stack the rocks to properly support the "stone" on top can cause the waterfall weir to tilt or sag, which can cause a leak. When the rocks are stacked to your satisfaction, install the EcoFalls snout stone and foam the rock into place.

Squirt the black waterfall foam onto the EcoFalls snout. Be generous with the foam, but remember it expands greatly ... don't use too much! Place the snout stone over the foam and weight it down to hold it in place while it dries. To finish off the snout, place two small flat stones on either side of the stone to hide the edges of the filter. Carefully select these rocks and dry-fit them to make sure they hide the plastic. Remove them and spray foam into the corner of the EcoFalls, along the vertical wall of the snout and the stone. Place the rocks back into place and your waterfall is almost complete. If you don’t care to use the artificial snout stone provided, you may also select a natural stone, or stones, for this important element. Our designers prefer natural rock.

To further enhance the natural look of your waterfalls, select enough small flat rocks to hide the top edges of the EcoFalls. Dry-fit these rocks to make sure they don’t fall into the filter. When you are satisfied with the look, spray some foam behind all of these to hold them in place and keep them secure. When the foam is completely dry, use a knife to trim away the excess and make it look more natural.

When all the components are in place and your pond is filled with water, turn on the pump and carefully inspect your work. Be sure water is flowing across the rocks and into the pond, not behind the rocks. A small leak at the waterfall can empty a 1,000 gallon pond overnight. If you find a leak, trace it down and rearrange the rocks to eliminate it. Use black waterfall foam to direct the water into the pond. When the EcoFalls filter fills up, add water to the pond to return it to the desired level, about three quarters of an inch below the top opening of the skimmer. You can somewhat control and direct the flow of the water by placing smaller stones on the waterfall rock.

The crowning glory is to install fast growing aquatic plants in the top of your waterfall to hide the filter material and blend the unit into the landscape. Mulch any plant material to prevent erosion.

Now it’s time to add the final touches to your landscape, draw up a comfortable chair, invite the neighbors over and enjoy the fruits of your labor.