No matter whether it's a pond, stream or swimming pool, waterfalls are an appealing part of the composition. Waterfalls can be beautiful, and from a design standpoint, extremely useful. They add verticality to otherwise horizontal water surfaces, animating the scene with movement and sound, creating eye-grabbing focal points and, when done well, a waterfall add a natural element that looks as if it was there first and humans came along and built a home to be close to it. Waterfalls have many personalities. They can be tall and bold, even thunderous; or gentle and subtle, with just a small flow. They can be diffused with divided flows spread out over multiple small vertical transitions or more concentrated to create a more dramatic effect. Each one is different, just as every project and client are different. As one of nature's truly fundamental "water features, " the way we create waterfalls is really only limited by imagination-that and space and budget. But no matter the character, size, complexity, or lack thereof, all waterfalls can have a positive impact on those who spend time near them. When I think of waterfalls, I'm visualizing those made by nature or made to appear natural. There are architectural water features that do loosely qualify as waterfalls in the form of water walls, scuppers sheer descent falls, or even rain curtains. Those features can also add beauty and interest to the setting, but to my mind, it's the naturalistic waterfalls that are both the most beautiful and the most challenging. MUSIC MAKING One of my favorite aspects of waterfalls in the sound they make or music, some might say. It comes as a pleasant surprise to many of my clients how much they appreciate hearing the sound of moving water, and it's often something they discover after the fact. Sometimes, they don't even have to see where it's coming from, they simply enjoy the relaxing psychological effect of the sounds wafting through air. There are those who say they enjoy the sound as much or more than any other aspect of their water feature. In some situations, clients are looking to mask traffic noise or other aural intrusions; in others they just want the tranquil effect. Either way, it's important to realize that when you build a waterfall, you have to consider the sound it makes and how it will function in the environment. Consider volume: Too much sound can overwhelm a small yard and become obnoxious, while too small a sound in a large area won't have any effect at all. You must strike a balance. Generally speaking, the more water that's flowing, and the farther it falls, the more sound it makes; but there's much more to it than just relative loudness. There's also tone and texture of the sound. Most people don't realize how complex the sounds of moving water can be. The combination of volume and flow rate of the water, married with the way the waterfall rocks are configured into cascades or weirs, the texture of the rocks, the way falls are divided and unified and the depth of the water, all create different types of sound. The more complex the waterfall structure, the more varied the sounds and the more choices you have in "tuning" it. There are tones that can become an inadvertent problem, such as how the fine rain-like sound of uniform drops sheeting into the water can generate a "white noise" that can actually almost cancel out, or mask, the sound of the human voice. Or, if you have a singular stream of water falling directly into an otherwise quiet pond, it can sound like someone urinating. I've played with sound a lot, learning to manipulate the low tones, mid-tones and high tones, paying close attention to the sounds made as the water dances over the rocks. The differences between the sound of water flowing over a smooth stones, splashing its way down more jagged formations, or the change in sound when you narrow and speed up the flow verses when you spread it out or slow it down. Bottom line, do not turn a deaf ear to the music you can make when you pay attention to it.