Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Waterfalls and wildlife

Hi all, I have seen some ponds with a gentle waterfall. For a wildlife pond, would this disturb the wildlife, or is it okay?

I wouldn’t think so. I have a spring that goes over some rocky areas that can get a little noisy. They get used to it.

Great, I would like a spring too, I just want the sound of running water. Do you use a pump?

Not exactly related to this thread, ponds versus small creeks, but I live on what used to be a farm. Cattle, chickens, and yes, the wildlife that lived on and traveled across it. There is a creek we have called "the branch" ever since we bought this place and moved here in 1977. "The Branch" starts as a running water coming off the hill leading down from a road on the very back of our farm in the woods and by the time it snakes through the woods in a rather hap hazard way and comes out of the woods running along side a hay field, it turns into one straight line of water flowing past our barns, other fields, our yard, then onto another person's property next door and on and on until it become Cedar Creek at the end of the road. When it rains, hard, overnight, the peaceful branch becomes the Colorado River. You'd wake up then next morning and the little branch with barely enough water to be called a bird bath, would have rushing water with tree limbs, trash, and by the way there goes the little bridge we keep have to build over it to mow on the other side.

Wildlife will steer clear of it until it runs out and becomes safe to cross, or stupid wildlife will take their chances and try to cross only to be washed down the creek, but as for the noise, they don't care one way or the other. Wildlife, deer, rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels, bigfoot, they hear all kinds of noises on a daily basis and when they hear the branch, they know it's not safe to cross. But when all they hear is a trickle of running water, they walk up, drink, cross, and never bat an eye. So a nice waterfall in a pond, natural or made, is like those running water things people buy for their offices to soothe them while they work.

No, it’s more of a seep spring. And with our recurring droughts, it is occasionally temporary. But, never actually flowing.

I don't believe a gentle waterfall would disturb any wildlife. (Except perhaps if they had been coming to the pond and discover a new waterfall on their next visit. I think they would be over that surprise very quickly.)

Will you have 120V electric power at your wildlife pond? (Or the European equivalent.)

If so, there are numerous little submersible pumps available that can move water for your your waterfall.

If you don't have an electrical supply, there are also solar powered pumps for that application. Some are very inexpensive and only have enough solar panel area to run the waterfall a few hours during peak sunlight. (Which may be just fine.)

Or you can design a larger solar system, battery augmentation, etc. and create a very complex and beautiful water flow.