How to Make a Waterfall on Level Ground
Waterfalls are soothing and beautiful additions to any landscape. Building a waterfall on level ground presents quite a challenge, however, because you'll need to create your own incline. Instead of digging the waterfall into the ground, you'll build it up from the ground. If you don't have an existing pond, you can make a "disappearing" waterfall with a small underground reservoir instead of a collection pond to further simplify your already challenging waterfall project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Rocks (large flat, wedge-shaped, small stones)
- Waterfall well
- Submersible pump
- Pump tubing
- Waterfall weir
- Rubber pond liner
- Mortar or waterfall foam
- Concrete
- Hose
Instructions
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Build the Waterfall Reservoir
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1
Decide on a location. Choose a spot away from large trees that drop leaves and may contaminate the water, requiring constant cleanup. Also keep the location away from high-traffic areas used by animals. Account for whether your submersible pump and waterfall weir will need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.
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2
Dig a hole where you want the base of your waterfall to reside, which will become the reservoir. Dig a hole twice the width of and 1 inch taller than your waterfall well. Most waterfall wells are cylinder-shaped, measuring about 20 inches in diameter and 2 feet tall.
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3
Spread out your rubber pond liner and line the hole you just dug. Leave the rest of the pond liner spread out in the area where you'll build your waterfall. Allow at least 4 to 5 inches of pond liner to overlap beyond the edges of the hole.
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4
Place the submersible pump into the waterfall well, threading the power cord (if it's not a solar-powered pump) out one of the holes in the side of the well. Attach pump tubing to the submersible pump and thread the tubing out another hole in the side of the waterfall well.
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5
Attach the other end of the tubing to the waterfall weir, allowing for more than enough length to reach the top of your waterfall's desired height. The waterfall weir is a plastic box that collects the water pumped to it. The weir has two chambers, one higher than the other. The lower chamber has an opening with a lip that allows water to flow out after the water fills the first chamber and spills over into the lower chamber.
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6
Place the waterfall well containing the submersible pump into the hole lined with the rubber pond liner. Fill around the well with different-shaped rocks that are about the size of lemons. Also use large gravel ranging from 1 to 4 inches in diameter, placing the smaller, decorative gravel on the top of the waterfall well to conceal it.
Construct Your Waterfall
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7
Fold back the pond liner that you spread onto the ground to get it out of your way while you're building the base of the waterfall. Place two large, flat stones side by side as your base, leaving just enough space between them to run your pump tubing. Lay your pump tubing between the rocks, placing the other end of the tubing and the waterfall weir in the back of your waterfall.
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8
Begin building your waterfall up, using flatter stones and checking for stability as you build it higher. After the second or third layer of stones, choose two more large, flat rocks and lay them side by side so that they hang over the reservoir about 2 inches.
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9
Place more rocks on top until you've reached 2/3 of your waterfall's desired height, staggering the rocks as you work your way up. Select some wedge-shaped stones and shim the rocks from the back of the waterfall to angle your rocks so they lean forward slightly. Place some smaller, flat rocks on either side of the waterfall structure to build up the sides, which will help funnel the water down through the middle.
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10
Spread a bag of plain potting soil or dirt on the front-facing surface of the waterfall. Press the soil down to firm it. The dirt will help protect your pond liner from tears caused by the sharp edges of the rocks. Spread the pond liner over your waterfall structure. Make sure the liner lays flush to the surfaces of the rocks, with a scooped indentation along the length of the waterfall. Place smaller, flat rocks on top of the liner until you've reached your desired height and shape.
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11
Run a small amount of water through a garden hose placed at the top of the waterfall to study the way the water flows and to make sure that the water runs down the center of the waterfall and not down the sides. Adjust your rocks until you've achieved your desired flow.
Add the Finishing Touches
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12
Seal the stones on top to the pond liner using mortar or waterfall foam and allow it to dry. This will help keep the stones in place, cover any gaps where the pond liner is showing, as well as force the water to flow over the stones instead of beneath them.
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13
Place the waterfall weir at the top of the waterfall structure with the opening through the lower chamber pointing down. Place stones around the weir to conceal the box. Cut off the excess pond liner around the outside of your waterfall and reservoir, leaving a 3- or 4-inch lip around the reservoir. Conceal the lip with stones.
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14
Plant a tall shrub or bushy plant behind the waterfall structure to conceal the tubing. Fill the reservoir with water, plug in your submersible pump and turn it on.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are concerned about the stability of your waterfall's base, use mortar or concrete between the rocks to secure them better.
Purchase a submersible pump that is the right size for your waterfall's height. Pond pumps come in varieties that are usually based on how far it can pump water.
Do not use small or fine gravel to fill your reservoir. Fine gravel won't allow the water to flow down into the waterfall well and can clog the well. Never use round stones to construct the base of the waterfall, as these will not be stable.
