Water Features
Backyard Waterfall Project in Cedar Falls, IA
Cedar Falls, Iowa
A hillside yard became a multi-tiered stone waterfall with a retaining wall and garden steps.
The problem
The hillside yard had no centerpiece and the slope was hard to use. The owner wanted moving water built into the grade, not a kit dropped on flat lawn.
A waterfall on a hill only works if the stonework, liner, and retaining edge are planned as one build. Otherwise the feature leaks, the bank washes, and the steps do not line up.
The property
Residential Cedar Falls slope with enough fall for a multi-tier waterfall, a retaining wall to hold the bank, and garden steps so the feature can be walked, not just looked at.
Work performed
We graded the slope, set liner and plumbing, stacked natural stone for the falls, and tied in a retaining wall and steps so the water feature sits in the hillside instead of fighting it. Pump, basins, and plantings finished the run.
Materials
- Natural stone
- Pond liner
- Waterfall pump
- Retaining wall block
- Decorative gravel
Grading, liner and stonework, pump and plumbing, retaining wall, and steps so the feature sits in the slope.
Challenges
Hillside water features leak at the liner folds and overflow at the wrong edge if the weirs are not level. Iowa freeze-thaw means the plumbing has to be serviceable. We built the falls so the pump can come out for winter and the stone stays put.
Finished result
The hillside is now a stone waterfall with a wall and steps that belong to the yard. Sound, movement, and a finished slope instead of a bare bank. This is the custom water-feature work we do in Cedar Falls when the lot has real grade.
Project questions
Where was this water features project completed?
Backyard Stone Waterfall was completed for a home in Cedar Falls, Iowa. A1 Property Services handles this work across Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and Black Hawk County.
Can you do a similar project on my property?
Yes. Every lot is different, but the same sequence applies: diagnose the site, build the structure or planting correctly for Iowa clay and freeze-thaw, then finish the grade. Request a free on-site quote and we will walk your property.