Most waterfalls occur naturally along a river or stream. When mother nature doesn't cooperate, some folks take matters into their own hands to create a waterfall right where they want one.
HIR Magazine got the opportunity to visit the construction of a huge, elaborate, 50-foot waterfall with a 17-foot lift built by our friends Caleb and Randy Stephenson at the Laney Building in Birmingham, Alabama.
"The Laney Building" is a multi-tenant office building that's a great place to work, with a walking trail, fitness center, locker room, conference rooms, full kitchen, and a lounge. The Laney Building's waterfall project is admittedly a much larger endeavor than most homeowners will attempt, but we couldn’t resist the story opportunity. The amount of earthmoving and boulder-lifting involved in this project required heavy-duty machinery and a skilled operator, but the fundamentals of constructing the water garden remain basically the same as for smaller backyard projects.
After locating any underground utilities, mark the layout of the water feature with stakes and spray paint to define the edges and indicate shelves to be excavated.
Mini excavators and skid steers are available at rental outlets, but it takes skill and experience to operate one safely and effectively.
Catch basins can be covered with a grate to screen out sticks, leaves and other small items from the water circulation.
This waterfall utilizes catch basins at the lowest point of the feature.
Felt underlayment is installed beneath the pond liner. The filter shown here will be positioned at the top of the waterfall as the return point for the water to flow back downward.
The EPDM liner conforms to the shape of the excavation.
Caleb Stephenson marks the liner with spray paint to help keep track of shelves and the planned flow of water.
To maintain a natural look, boulders were relocated from other parts of the property to shape the edges of the waterfall.
The water hose is often sold separately from the pump, so the length can be specified as required for the project.
Larger rocks shore up the edges and determine the bulk of the flow.
Smaller rocks are used to fill gaps and direct water where it’s wanted. Drainage rock lines the bottom of the stream.
Caleb recommends using expanding foam specified for ponds to seal gaps and crevices to redirect the water flow.
A project like this offers the opportunity to create lots of channels and ledges for cascading effects along the water path.
Now complete, this beautiful new feature looks like a natural waterfall.
Contact the Caleb Stephenson at Core Resources:
Coreresourcesal@gmail.com / 205-612-9021
Side Note 1
DIY Water Garden Basics
Planning to build your own backyard water garden? Check out his article on the basics of construction.
Side Note 2
Story of the "With You" Statue
The Laney Building serves as the treasury office of the Birmingham Vulcans Rugby Club and is home to the new commemorative "With You" statue dedicated in 2024. The team's namesake Vulcan is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge, with iron-working equipment.
The "With You" statue is a miniature version of Vulcan that now marks the Laney Building waterfall.
"The phrase 'with you' has special meaning to every rugby player in every country in the world," explains Birmingham Vulcans Treasurer Michael Laney. "On the field, 'with you' basically means 'I’m here if you want to pass me the ball' or 'if you need me to ruck over and protect you after you get tackled.' Off the field, 'with you' means so much more." Laney explains the phrase extends to supporting teammates and the community at large.
"I'm proud to be from Birmingham and I love taking visitors to the Vulcan Park and Museum to show it off," says Laney. "I'm proud of how the city gets behind its Birmingham Vulcans (men's), Birmingham Steel (women's), and youth rugby teams. The 'With You' statue is a way to support the non-profit Vulcan Park and Museum, non-profit Birmingham Rugby Club Foundation, and show the community pride from all eleven companies in this building on Valleydale Road."
Learn more about Birmingham rugby at:
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