Pond-Free 101

Chapter 3

Advantages of Pond-free over Decorative Water Features

All Pond-free and Decorative features share the closed, hidden reservoir that distinguishes them from ponds, but typically differ in the type of reservoirs they use. Decorative Water Features like Colorfalls and Fountain Basins house the water and functional components of pump and plumbing in solid, self-contained basins. These are the simplest type of water features to install, so they are a favorite place for folks to start, enhancing patios, walks and walls with the sight and sound of water. They can be installed in the ground or above ground, typically measure from 2 to 4 feet in diameter and a Kit will typically include the basin, matched pump, tubing, perhaps a valve or multiple valves and an automatic fill device, to replace water that splashes out or evaporates. These features are covered in greater detail in the Department of Decorative Water Features.

Pond-free Features utilize a flexible liner to retain water in a lined reservoir, usually just a hole dug in the ground, which feeds the water feature. Since the hole can literally be any size or depth, this type of Pond-free feature is often much larger. The trick is to make sure the size of the feature is properly matched to the capacity of the reservoir.

Pond-free Feature

Fountain Feature

Formal Spillway Feature