An overview of water features for the home harden.

1. Project SOUND 2015 (c)
Out of the Wilds
and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2015 (our 11th year)
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2. Water Features
Kelley Dawdy & C.M. Vadheim
CSUDH/Madrona Marsh/
Willows Wetland Preserve
August 2015
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3. What is a water feature?
• In landscape architecture and garden design, a
water feature is one or more items from a range
of:
– Fountains
– Pools
– Ponds
– Cascades
– Waterfalls and
– Streams.
-Wikipedia.org
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4. Kelley’s Categories
1. Bubbling pot
2. Overflowing pot
3. Wall fountain
4. Wet wall
5. Stream bed – pondless
6. Stream ending in a pond
7. Pond
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5. Bubbling Pot
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Recirculating within one “pot.” Pot may need to be sealed.

6. Wall fountain
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Bubbling pot + water pipe (in wall) + pot needs to be sealed

7. Wet wall
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Essentially a wall fountain with a “sheeting effect.” Needs a special scupper.

8. Overflowing pot
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Hidden pump/water reservoir

9. Pondless Stream/Waterfall
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Stream/waterfall with hidden pump/water reservoir

10. Stream and pond
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11. Pond
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12. Pumps
• Pumps come in all sizes
• Most home fountains, only need a
submersible, 120 v pump.
• There are 2 important quantities:
– Flow rate (GPH)
– Head Height (feet)
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13. Pumps: flow vs head height
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14. Pumps: flow vs head height
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15. Head Height and Run
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16. Performance Curve
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17. Pumps
• Pumps can only push
• Pumps cannot pull
• Pumps must be under the level of the water.
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18. Pumps
• Bigger pumps = more $, more space
• It’s easier to turn a pump down, than replace
• Many pumps have intake valves to control
flow
• If there isn’t one, you can use a diverter valve
• Don’t use a regular valve; it will put back
pressure on the pump, which will shorten the
pump’s lifespan.
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19. Diverter valves
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20. Pump Size Guideline
• Rule: for every 1’ of linear waterfall, you’ll
need 100 gph.
• Pots: 100 gph at desired head height
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21. Outdoor Electricity
• GFCI outlets (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)
• Waterproof Outlet Cover
• Both are cheap and easy to install
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22. Rewiring a plug
• If you need to cut off the plug, you’ll need to wire
a new one. DO NOT USE WIRE NUTS.
• http://www.diyadvice.com/diy/electrical/repair/
plugs-cord-switches/
• Green  green. White  silver. Black  brass
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23. Waterproofing and sealants
• For fountains (not streams), the pump cord
(and lighting cords) will need to be sealed.
• Do be lazy or cheap for this step!
• Use a product that is made for the “pot”
material
• Cementitious for concrete
• Plumbing materials for plastics
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24. Concrete/pottery:
Waterproofing and sealants
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To water proof anything cementitious
(unglazed pots, concrete, cinder block):
use Thoroseal. Mix to “milkshake”
thickness and paint it on with a
masonry brush.
To plug a hole: use hydraulic cement or
“water plug”. Mix it to “mashed potato”
thickness. Shove it in and around the
hole/cord; both sides.

25. Plastics:
Waterproofing and sealants
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Good for premade,
concrete fountains
(also good for
leveling different
fountain parts).
Stays flexible forever.
Silicon
adhesive
sealant.
Amazing stuff.
Epoxy (2 parts) mixed together.
Drillable in 20 minutes!

26. Bubbling Pot
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• Keep pump off the bottom, so that it doesn’t suck up junk.
• Cut pipe/tube to be 0.1 - 3” above the water.
• For the pipe: use “funny pipe,” pvc, or copper pipe.

27. Wall fountains
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If you use a pipe for the
electrical cord, make
sure that it ends above
water level.

28. Stainless Steel Spillway
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The difference is
water flow and
where the spillway
was placed: flush or
proud.

29. Overflowing pot
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Hidden pump/water reservoir

30. Overflowing pot
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31. Overflowing pot
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Google: fountain basin
Pros: easy to install, waterproof, easy to
maintain, easy to replace pump or lights
Cons: $$
Sold locally by Ewing Irrigation
Invented by AquaScapeInc.com

32. Splashy Fountain?
• Use pond liner to increase the “funnel” of
drainage.
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33. Streams, Waterfalls, Ponds/Pondless
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Notice that the liner is
attached to the scupper
and the skimmer

34. Streams, Waterfalls, Ponds/Pondless
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Ecosystem ponds need little maintenance.

35. Streams, Waterfalls, Ponds/Pondless
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36. Streams, Waterfalls, Ponds/Pondless
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37. Streams, Waterfalls, Ponds/Pondless
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Pondless: filter and pumps are in a vault.
Space is filled up with milk crate-like
boxes, wrapped in weed or shade cloth
(to keep the gravel out).

38. Layout/design
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• Underlayment = newspaper,
carpet, “underlayment”
• Liner = > 4mm liner
• Leave room for the rocks

39. Project SOUND 2015 (c) 40
Underlayment
Liner
Skimmer/
pump/diverter/
mechanical filter
Waterfall/
biological filter

40. Project SOUND 2015 (c) 41

41. Project SOUND 2015 (c) 42

42. Multiply outlets?
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43. Project SOUND 2015 (c) 44

44. • Add extra rocks to anchor the
stream into the landscape
• Add plants to soften the edges
• Add mulch to make it look more
natural
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45. Rainwater Harvesting
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46. Suppliers of stream/pond kits
• AquaScape. aquascapeinc.com
website has everything you could possible want
to know
• Blue Thumb. bluethumbponds.com
• Locally you can buy AquaScape products from
Ewing Irrigation (Torrance 310/782-7821; Signal
Hill 562/989-9530). If it’s not in the store, they
can get it within 1 – 2 days, usually.
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