Pond-Free 103

Although Pond-free water features can be placed almost anywhere, with far less regard for siting than a pond would require, setting the water level high or low can make a big difference in the final appearance. Setting the water level high, relatively close to the original grade keeps debris from accumulating in a pocket and makes cleaning the feature easier, but there’s a great reason to set the water level deeper where there’s not a lot of existing grade to play with. In those situations where there isn’t a lot of hill to start with, setting the top of the reservoir a foot below grade or more can provide the drop for another waterfall. In the example pictured, the total difference in height between the area at the top of the falls and the reservoir was only 15 inches. Dropping the top of the reservoir another 15 inches below original grade, and raising the falls 6 inches, provided a full three feet of grade to play, allowing for two more falls than the original slope would have accommodated.