Do it Yourself: Pondless Waterfall

Dig a hole to house the water-collection basin or large bucket that creates the bottom of the waterfall feature. Dig the hole deep enough so the basin or bucket's top lip is even with or 1/2 inch higher than the soil. Use a bubble level to ensure the basin is level in the hole before back-filling soil and tamping it down to secure the basin in place.

Pile excess soil from the collection basin behind it to begin to create a berm. This berm becomes the length or chute-run for the waterfall in the garden. Extra soil may be needed on site to construct a chute-run that is tall or long enough per your design.

Tamp the soil firmly with your hands or feet when constructing the chute-run above and leading to the collection basin installed at the base of the waterfall. A firm and stable chute foundation holds the rock and watercourse better.

Lay down a long, contiguous piece of PVC liner on the berm to create the waterproof base for the chute-run. The liner should start and cover an area at the top where the water begins its run. Overlap the bottom of the PVC so it extends at least 2 inches beyond and spills into the bottom collection basin.

Insert a submersible pump into the collection basin. Run appropriate electric cords and outflow tubing up from the pump. The electrical cord for the pump may be slightly buried in the soil en route to the outlet, but do not plug in the pump yet. The outflow tubing from the pump needs to run up the berm and end at the top of the chute-run.

Place large stones along the course of the waterfall's chute run to mask the PVC liner. One stone may be used to hold down the water tube end at the top of the waterfall. Add variously sized stones on the chute, including smaller pebbles to thoroughly cover the watercourse. Tuck in and hide the outflow tubing as needed among rocks as it travels to the top of the waterfall's chute.

Fill the collection basin -- where the submersible pump rests -- with water. With power, the pump begins to draw in water and push it up the tube to the top of the waterfall. Add more water to the collection basin to ensure the pump remains underwater as the waterfall begins to flow. Once the waterfall's water cascades down and re-enters the collection basin, top off the basin so the water level is anywhere from just above the water pump to the top rim of the basin.

Cover the basin with a heavy-gauge grate of mesh wire screen, with openings no larger than 1/4 inch. This screen must cover the entire top of the collection basin and extend several inches beyond. A permeable, small-grated mesh is fine, as long as water is able to flow through it. Once in place over the basin, cover and mask the mesh with various size stones or decorative gravel to complete the look of the pondless waterfall. Don't use sand or pebbles that fall through the mesh grates.