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DESIGN WATER
FEATURES AND USE LESS WATER
by Tom Stephens - Landscape Architect
Your Landscape Solutions |
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is important to life & enjoyment. An old Chinese
proverb states that "a garden without water is like a
face without eyes". Water is a significant
element in nearly every historical garden style. It is
one of the essential ingredients of all life, along with the
sun, air, and earth. You can see, hear, feel, smell,
and taste it. You can enjoy it from the small mountain
stream to the man-made inland lake and the rolling ocean
waves to the backyard water feature. |
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| No longer time
consuming & costly. Improved technology has made
it easier to design, install, and maintain water features in
residential landscapes. Water features can be built in
nearly every climate zone. They can be any size, from
a small bath tub size to a large water falls system with
multiple falls, streams, pools, and ponds. The average
residential backyard size is approximately 11' by 16' (175
to 200 sq.ft.) and can be from one foot to four + feet deep,
with water falls and streams as high and as intricate as the
budget will allow and the imagination can dream up. |
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| A
balanced ecosystem is essential. It is a good idea to
try to establish a balanced ecosystem with efficient
filtration of the water a fish friendly EPDM liner covered
with gravel and cobble; and algae eating bacteria along with
water plants, fish and other aquatic animals that will all
work together to keep the water clean and clear with a
minimum of maintenance and water loss from evaporation and
leakage. |
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| Water saving
tips: Surface areas of ponds, streams, and falls
should be held to a minimum to reduce evaporation. The
sides of ponds and streams should be nearly vertical.
Falls should be minimized in height to prevent splashing on
adjacent underlayment to protect from puncture. Care
should be taken in the placement of cobble and gravel to
avoid puncture or excessive wear on the liner. Pumps
and plumbing should be as high efficiency as possible and
should be protected form freezing in cold weather.
Automatic filler devices should be adjusted to prevent over
filling. Water conservation and water falls are not
mutually exclusive. Attention to detail during
construction and regular maintenance are important to
success. |
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