Landscape water feature advice

[Budweiser John]

Looking for advice on landscape water features.
We are in the beginning stages of creating a interesting water feature along the lines of a disappearing waterfall rather than a water impoundment (pond) as a pond would become a private playground for our yellow lab.
Matters of pump capacity, pipe sizing, Reservoir capacity, spillway design, and liner thickness are beyond my current pay grade but I currently have acquired a large inventory of granite rocks many with one split face and a yard or so of 1 river rock.

We did consult with a landscape contractor who tossed around five figure numbers, well beyond our play money budget.
In as much as I have a Loader tractor with SSQA bucket, grapple, pallet forks, and a sub frame mounted back hoe I知 ready to tackle the project as soon as I can get hy head wrapped around the technicalities listed above.

Suggestions, experiences, comments?
B. John

 

[/pine]

The biggest factor design wise would likely be where you are going to put it...is your land flat or on a grade? how much grade?

If the purpose is to attract wildlife as well as just a garden feature etc...it should make a little noise...

 

[Industrial Toys]

I had considered it and have the perfect place for it.

A concern would be to creat a major and on-going maintenance headache.

Will it just be a moskito breeding farm? We don't have a lot of them, but if I got just one more, I would say no to the feature.

Also, I'm sure pump power adds up in a hurry. So are you always turning the thing on and off, which would be a hassle. I'm not wealthy enough just to leave something like that running.

 

[i7win7]

Will it just be a moskito breeding farm? We don't have a lot of them, but if I got just one more, I would say no to the feature.

Add goldfish to control "skeeters" or chlorine or pool chemicals to kill everything.

 

[airbiscuit]

Maybe install a motion control switch so it only runs when someone is nearby.

 

[Topzide]

Saw that they now make plastic cages that you can stack, then lay your rock on top of to create your basin for a disappearing waterfall. Not sure if thats what your going for or not. Just Google pond building or diy disappearing waterfall. Sound like a great project. Might want to see if you could do solar for the pumping.

 

[Budweiser John]

Replying to comments.

First off, location would be visible from our favorite lounging spot on our front porch. The grade drops off rather quickly thus offering a natural slope suitable for moving water. Since there will be no standing water mosquitoes will not breed in moving water and we will not have any ponded water or the hassle of maintaining a fish habitat and yes, a ‘babbling brook’ noise effect is desirable.
I’m planning on controlling the pump from a conveniently located switch and the concept of a motion sensor is a great idea but for the night time activity of the wild critters and barn cats. Our motion sensor security lights are on and off all night every night.

Lots of pretty pictures of water features out there But not a lot of technical data at least that I’ve found so far.

B. John

 

[airbiscuit]

 

[3Ts]

If you're going to have a "babbling brook" where are you going to store the water when it's off? I assume you will be recirculating the water, otherwise you'll be pumping water that will dump into a creek or drainage ditch.

Edit: Never mind, I'm to slow in typing and I get distracted from time to time.

 

[kthompson]

You might find your county agents office has some help in this at least on guidance. We had a pond about 12 by 20 at our back door for years. Deepest was two feet deep with vinyl liner. We had Kois in it and no insect issue.