Pondless (Convertible) Waterfalls - Both Ways

May 12
11:26

2007

Doug Hoover

Doug Hoover

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Many people who are looking for a waterfall are opting in for pondless waterfalls - out of necessity, not choice. Ponds pose several challenges, some involving safety issues and some maintenance. Ponds and toddlers do not mix. Many people with small children so desperately want a waterfall and pond that they are willing to surround it with a fence. Even so, there is still the fear of an unlocked gate becoming a door to disaster. How natural looking could a fenced water garden be? But that is the price they are willing to pay to enjoy its benefits.

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Many people who are looking for a waterfall are opting in for pondless waterfalls — out of necessity,Pondless (Convertible) Waterfalls - Both Ways Articles not choice.  Ponds pose several challenges, some involving safety issues and some maintenance.  Ponds and toddlers do not mix.  Many people with small children so desperately want a waterfall and pond that they are willing to surround it with a fence.  Even so, there is still the fear of an unlocked gate becoming a door to disaster.  How natural looking could a fenced water garden be?  But that is the price they are willing to pay to enjoy its benefits.

Disciples of the”liner messiah” tout the “pondless” waterfall as the solution to the problem.  I believe it is a solution to a problem, but not the only one.  First of all, you must ask yourself, is this a time-sensitive situation?  Yes it is, because water is no longer a hazard when the children learn how to swim.

Parents of small children often spend many thousands of dollars on a pondless waterfall that must remain pondless.  But when the children have grown and they would like to have a pond with water, it could cost twice as much to remodel the existing pondless structure.

As children get older and get more inquisitive and begin to explore nature, a pond can become a live “discovery channel” in their back yard.  They can watch fish hatching from eggs, dragonflies emerging from a cocoon, tadpoles transforming into frogs, two crayfish battling over a potential mate, fish and turtles eating out of their hands.  And they will not get any of that in school.

I was inspired to create a pondless (convertible) waterfall and developed two styles for my customers.  A pondless (convertible) waterfall is basically a waterfall that spills into a pond filled with rocks.  There is still enough room for hyacinths and lilies in the pond, with enough exposed water for small fish such as guppies or mosquito fish.  You can even make a couple of areas for a turtle to hide and hibernate in the winter.

With this type of waterfall, you have the best of both worlds – all of the elements of a pond, but none of the potential dangers posed by deeper water, and no maintenance issues.  When the children are older, the rocks are simply removed from the pond and larger fish can be added. 

Now you have:

1. eliminated the dangers,

2. reduced maintenance issues,

3. added an element of intrigue,

4. created a miniature wildlife refuge,

5. maintained the option of a pond,

6. expanded the water feature from a waterfall to a water garden,

7. enhanced and increased the number of potential buyers in the future, and

8. enhanced and broadened the appeal of your property to a larger range of future buyers.

The two styles of convertible pondless waterfalls are raised and below grade.  The raised pond can be formal by constructing the surrounding seat wall out of block and covering it with stucco, quartzite, marble, tile or slate.  Or it can be surrounded by alternating large boulders and rock walls (some of which serve as seating), which creates a more natural motif.