Waterfall installation in Boise, Idaho

Waterfall installation in Boise usually starts with someone telling me, "I just want to hear water when I sit outside." Sound is the whole point of a waterfall. It covers road noise, it makes a small yard feel calm, and it draws birds. But a waterfall that looks like a pile of rocks with a hose in it does the opposite. The goal is a fall that looks like it was always there.

I'm Kabe Hockema. I design and build waterfalls myself, using Aquascape components and natural stone. Some of my waterfalls spill into a pond. Others run into a hidden basin with no open water at all.

Pond waterfall or pondless waterfall

This is the first choice we make together.

A waterfall with a pond gives you sound plus open water for fish and water plants. The waterfall also does work: it sits on top of a biofalls filter, and the moving water adds oxygen. My published starting price for an 8' x 11' Aquascape system pond with a waterfall is $15,500.

A pondless waterfall gives you the sound and look of falling water, but the water drains into gravel over a hidden basin and gets pumped back up. There's no open pond, so it's a good fit for families with small kids, for small yards, or for people who don't want to care for fish. My published starting price for a pondless waterfall with a small stream is $9,500. You can read more on my pondless waterfalls page.

Making a waterfall look like it belongs

Most fake-looking waterfalls have the same problems: a steep pile of rocks on flat ground, stones that all look the same, and water that dribbles instead of falls. Here's how I avoid that:

• Build a slope first. I shape the soil into a natural rise, often using dirt from the pond dig, so the fall has a reason to be there.
• Use a few big stones. One or two large boulders anchor the fall. Smaller rock fills in around them.
• Set a clean spill stone. The stone the water drops over decides how the fall looks. A flat lip gives a smooth sheet. A rough lip breaks the water into a splash.
• Plant around the edges. Grasses and shrubs soften the stone and tie the waterfall into the rest of the yard.

Sound: a trickle or a roar

You get to pick how loud the water is. A gentle trickle is nice beside a bedroom window. A louder fall works better to cover traffic or a busy street. Sound depends on how far the water drops, how much water the pump moves, and what it lands on. Water falling onto rock is louder. Water falling into a deep pool is softer. I'll often test the flow before the last stones are set, so you can hear it and we can adjust.

How the install goes

• Plan the spot. We pick where you'll sit and where you'll hear the water best.
• Shape the ground. I build the slope and dig the basin or pond.
• Set the liner and equipment. Underlayment and liner go in, then the biofalls at the top and the pump vault or skimmer at the bottom.
• Build the fall. I set the boulders and spill stone, then fill in the stream with smaller rock and gravel.
• Test the flow. I run the pump, adjust the stones, and check the edges for any spot where water could escape.
• Plant and finish. Plants and mulch go in around the fall.

The pump is the heart of any waterfall. If you want the details on sizing and setup, see my page on pond pump installation.

Waterfalls through an Idaho winter

Freeze-thaw winters are hard on moving water. Ice can build up in a stream and dam it, sending water over the edge of the liner until the pump runs dry. With a pondless waterfall, many owners simply shut it off for winter. With a pond, the waterfall often gets turned off too, while a de-icer or aerator keeps a hole open for the fish. Some people like to run the fall into early winter for the ice shapes. That works if you check it often.

Summer brings its own issues. Hot, dry wind pulls water off a waterfall fast, so expect to top it off more in July and August, or add an auto-fill valve.

What drives the cost of waterfall installation

• Height and length of the fall and stream.
• Pond or pondless. A pond adds digging, liner and filtration.
• Stone size. Large boulders may need a machine and good access.
• Pump size for the flow and sound you want.
• Lighting and planting around the fall.

Related water work

Waterfalls are one piece of the water features I build. If you'd rather have a bubbling stone or urn, see pond fountain installation, or look at the bigger picture on water feature installation. The main pond contractor page lists everything else.

I build waterfalls in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Star, Middleton, Kuna, Garden City, Hidden Springs, Sun Valley and Ketchum. I'm on every job myself.

Start your waterfall installation in Boise

If you're ready for waterfall installation in Boise, let's stand in your yard and listen for the right spot. Schedule a consultation or call (541) 961-7269, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.