We’ve all stopped, gazed
and listened upon encountering a rippling brook or waterfall—to soak up the
serenity that nature provides. But where is that spot when we need it
most?
Since you probably can’t
drive and hike to a tranquil location after a hard day’s work, you can use this
project to help you re-create these all-too-fleeting moments in your backyard.
And you can build your stream in two weekends.
Click image to enlarge.
We designed this stream to
eliminate the filtering and cleaning maintenance that comes with ponds. The
trick to low maintenance is to let nature (layers of gravel and stone) filter
the water, using an underground sump at the lower end to catch the filtered
water before pumping it back up to the top of the stream. All you have to do is
occasionally add water to replace what evaporates—and rainfall may handle this
task for you.
In this story, we’ll show
you how to slope the stream, lay the liner and install the pump and the catch
basin as well as landscape the stream. We’ll help you plan the ideal location
and size of your stream, and tell you how to select liners, pumps and stone. We
won’t get into kits that are available either on-line or at home centers.We
chose to build our system with parts and components that are readily available
and less expensive than kits. They’ll give you more flexibility to design the
stream that best fits your yard.
Click image to enlarge.
You can complete this
project successfully even if it’s your first water feature. But it’s heavy
work. The only special tools you’ll need are a strong wheelbarrow (one with
pneumatic tires is best) and a two-wheel ball cart ($18 per day to rent) for
moving and placing heavy boulders.
What’s My Investment?
For the basic materials
(pump, plumbing, tools, sealant—see the list below), plan to spend about $300,
not including the liners. Add in the underlayment and liner cost at about $1.20
per sq. ft. of stream (we used 120 sq.ft.).We purchased all materials from a
home center, except for black expanding-foam sealant made for ponds and
waterfalls and the EPDM rubber liner, which we bought from a local pond
supplies dealer (www.aquascapedesigns.com). Aquascape guarantees its liners;
other suppliers may void the guarantee once you trim the liner to
size.
The largest additional
cost of the project is the stone. The amount of stone and gravel will depend on
your stream design. Take your plan (see below) to the stone and gravel retailer
to get help with estimates. All told, our “deluxe” stream used 8 tons of stone
and gravel, which came to $725, plus tax and delivery. One could easily reduce
stone costs to $350 for this 15-ft. stream with fewer specialty boulders. You
could save even more if you dig the entire stream into the ground rather than
building the upper section higher.
Materials List
|
Large waterfall
pump |
$150 |
|
Hose kit and
connections |
$15 |
|
PVC primer and
cement |
$9 |
|
Ball valve and
clamps |
$10 |
|
Sewage basin (18"
x 30") and lid |
$55 |
|
Two hole saw bits
(2" and 1") |
$10 |
|
EPDM pond
liner |
$1 per sq.
ft. |
|
Underlayment
fabric |
$1 per lin.
ft. |
|
Waterfall foam
sealant |
$12 per
can |
|
Gravel |
$30 per
ton |
|
Field
boulders |
$85 per
ton |
|
Decorative
boulders |
$200 to $300 per
ton |
|
Bagging and
delivery |
$100 to
$200 |
Plan By Ear
Sit in a favorite spot and
visualize where a stream with waterfalls would fit into your landscape—perhaps
near a patio or deck.
Planning elements to
consider:
Foundation. If
your soil is easy to dig, then excavate the entire project. If digging is
difficult, build your stream above ground with stones for the
base.
Slope. Very
little slope is needed (minimum 2 in. drop per 10 ft. of stream). For
faster-moving water or taller waterfalls, make the grade steeper (which also
adds more sound).
Size. Plan your
stream size first to determine how much water the lower basin and upper pool
must hold when the pump is off. Figure 5 gallons per linear foot of flowing
stream (2-1/2 ft. wide x 3 in. deep). Our lower basin (40 gallons) and upper
pool (240 gallons) easily held our 75-gallon stream
capacity.
Sound. For a
babbling brook sound, use a waterfall height of 2 to 4 in. To drown out street
noise, use 10-in. and greater waterfall drops. More waterfalls equals more
noise.
Location.
Waterfalls should be visible from your favorite deck, patio or inside-the-home
chair. Consider a location near the bedroom if you like the sound of running
water at night; you can always turn it off if it’s too loud or distracting.
Make sure your pump location (lower basin) is close to an electrical source,
and that you can reach the stream with a garden hose to add water as
needed.
For our site, we wrapped
an S-shaped stream next to a ground-level deck built into an existing perennial
garden. We varied the height of the four waterfalls and the width of the stream
to give it a more natural look and sound. Plus we added a ball valve to the
return water line so we could speed or slow the flow rate, and control the
sound level.
CAUTION:
Although these pools are
shallow, they can be a drowning hazard for small children. Check with your
local building department for local regulations. And be watchful of
toddlers.
Order Stone
When you start your stone
search, look under “Rock,”“Quarries”or “Sand & Gravel” in the Yellow Pages.
Call to check prices and types of stone available. Go visit dealers to get
exactly what you want, plus you can select specific colorful accent boulders
and flat stones for the waterfalls—then have it all delivered (for a $100 to
$200 fee). Some quarries will even bag the stone by type and size (for a fee),
and these palleted bags take up less space on a driveway, as opposed to piles
of gravel and boulders.
For gravel (3/4-in. to
2-in. stones), figure you’ll need 1/2 ton per 10 ft. of stream, plus we used 1
to 1-1/2 tons for the upper pool and lower basin. For basic field boulders (6
in. to 24 in.) to line the stream banks, figure 3/4 ton per 10 ft. of stream.
Add 1-1/2 to 2 tons more of larger 12-in. to 24-in. boulders for the upper pool
and lower basin.Because we built the top half of the stream above ground, we
used 3-1/2 tons of extra boulders.
If you want specialty
colorful accent boulders, expect to pay premium prices—about $200 to $300 per
ton. The flat waterfall stones cost about $3 per sq. ft. Avoid limestone, as it
can encourage algae growth.
Map the Stream and Start Digging
After all the stone and
gravel arrive, map out your design and mark it with spray paint (Photo
1).
We built the upper half of
the stream and two waterfalls above the ground, then carved the lower half of
this 15-ft. stream out of the soil (Figure A). Pick whichever technique
works with your soil and go with it. Either way, keep the ibuprofen handy to
soothe those sore lifting and digging muscles!
Next, dig the lower basin
for the sump basin and surrounding stone and gravel. Dig a square hole at least
2 ft. wider than the basin diameter and 6 in. deeper than the height. It should
be at least a foot wider than the stream.
CAUTION:
A few days before you plan to dig for your
stream, call (888) 258-0808 to have underground utilities in the area located
and marked.
Simultaneously, build a
ring of stone for the upper pool foundation and the stream banks (Photo 2). Place
12-in. tall stones flat side up (if possible) so the next layer of stone will
fit more securely on top (Figure
B). Use a rubber mallet to pack dirt and gravel tightly around the
stones to hold them in place.
Complete The Lower Basin First
Use a 2-in. hole saw bit
and drill holes every 4 in. in the bottom third of the pump basin (Figure C and
Photo 3).
Repeat the process with a 1-in. hole saw bit for the middle third, then use a
3/8-in. bit for the top third.
Remove sharp objects from
the bottom of the basin, then lay in the underlayment and liner. Calculate the
size carefully and cut the underlayment first. Then cut and fit the liner so it
is tucked in all corners and extends about 2 ft. out of the hole in all
directions. With the pump basin in place, insert the pump, connect the water
line and lay it in place to ensure it will reach the top of the upper pool.Add
layers of stone around the basin and top with the lid (Figure C and
Photo
4).
TIP
If you
live in a freezing climate, make sure the pump and hose are easy to blow out
or remove.
Dig Out (or Build) a Long Staircase
First, at each waterfall
location, dig down to the approximate depth of the drop you desire or build up
the fall if you’re working above grade. This gives you a streambed depth
target. Now move to the bottom of the stream and carve a 2 to 3-1/2 ft. wide
streambed 6 to 8 in. deep, sloping upward as you dig upstream to meet that
streambed depth target at each waterfall (Photo 5). Then dig out shallow
pools below waterfalls as needed (Figure A) to slow the water
flow.
Since we built above
ground for the upper section of the stream, we next added a level row of stones
for waterfalls No. 1 and 2 (Photo
6). Pick the height you desire. Use 6-in. tall stones to frame the
banks. Also finish compacting a gravel and dirt mixture to the inside and
outside of the upper pool stones. Then tamp down the upper pool area and the
streambed.
Lay the Liner and Position Waterfall Stones
Position the fabric
underlayment and liner to extend from the lower basin to the upper pool, with
slack at the base of each waterfall, because placing boulders can stretch and
rip a tight liner (Photo
7). Place decorative boulders at the side of each waterfall, and add
an extra piece of rubber liner underneath each heavy stone to protect the base
liner.
TIP
Pick stones with fractures
and broken edges to place under waterfalls for more water sound and
movement.
For stable, above-ground stream edges,
backfill the edging stones with a gravel and dirt mixture and compact it
(Photo 8). Next,
lay the final piece of underlayment and liner in the upper pool so it tucks in
at all corners and extends 2 ft. out in all directions. There’s no need to tape
the liners to each other; just make sure the top liner overlaps the liner
underneath it by 1-1/2 to 2 ft. Then add the top layer of stones around the
upper pool.
Add Spill Stones and Foam the Gaps
Once you place the
decorative boulders at the waterfall locations, place all the flat spill
stones.Apply black expanding foam sealant, designed for ponds and waterfalls,
to the underside to adhere them to the rubber liner. Now fill all gaps with
stones to force water to go only over the waterfall (Photo 9). Then
apply foam sealant to all sides and to the underneath of each spill stone to
create a good seal (Photo
10).
After the foam has dried
for 30 minutes, take your garden hose and run water down the stream. Look for
any water trails (leaks) along the spill stone edges and underneath. Fill any
leaks with more foam and repeat until all water goes over the top of the spill
stones.
Add Gravel and Clean the Stream
The final construction
step is to place steppingstones in the middle of the stream to make it inviting
for people, birds and pets. Then carefully layer in gravel to cover any exposed
liner (Photo
11).
Spray down the entire
stream area with a garden hose nozzle until the water level rises above the
gravel in the bottom basin. Now power up the pump and direct the pump hose away
from the stream. Keep washing down the stream and rock until the water from the
pump hose runs clear. Then insert the pump hose into the upper pool (make sure
it is hidden), and finish your stream by trimming and covering any rubber liner
that shows (Photo
12).
Now it’s time to take that
favorite seat, with a cold beverage in hand, and relax to the soothing sounds
of your new stream.
Pump Sizing
Submersible pumps are rated by gph (gallons
per hour) at a specific discharge height (known as head or lift). To calculate
the gph you need, figure 150 gph for each inch of your widest waterfall. Next,
to figure the head/lift you need, calculate the distance your water line
travels from the pump to the upper pool (measure vertical and horizontal; 10
ft. of horizontal distance = 1 ft. of vertical rise). Look for a high-quality
pump (bronze, brass or stainless steel; not a cheap sump pump) that can exceed
the gph and lift you need.
