In the world of commercial contracting, projects come and go ?EUR??,,????'??+ usually to the low bidder, so there is always the next one to look forward to. However, when the word got out that the new Austin-Bergstrom International Airport would have three large water features in it, there was a lot of excitement at L & R Landscape Services as to how we could be awarded the contract. So, we began the arduous process of doing the take-offs and costing out of the job. As I labored over the plans, I renewed my appreciation for geometry by converting many cubic feet of limestone into tons of estimated boulders. Natural limestone boulders were the dominant material with dimensionally cut quarry blocks composing the waterfall wall. The plans were drawn by award winning landscape architect, J. Robert Anderson and had specific criteria to follow in order to be a qualified bidder. We initially thought on bid opening day that we had lost the contract. However, the City of Austin had been adamant concerning their minority participation program, and being a woman-owned business, we were awarded the contract. The staff at L & R was given an overview of the design concept in preparation of mobilizing into the construction mode. According to Anderson, the Entrance/Exit and Roadway Landscape for the airport was inspired by the native environment of Austin and its unique setting on the edge of the Texas hill country. ?EUR??,,????'??As the landscape architects for the project, we developed plans for the airport that provide a ?EUR??,,????'??welcome?EUR??,,????'??? in the Austin tradition of making visitors to the city comfortable, relaxed, and inspired by the natural beauty that Austin is known for,?EUR??,,????'?? Anderson said. The many rocky-bottomed creeks that thread through Austin served as inspiration for the water feature at the entry and exit. Many diverse plants from the billowing prairie grasses to the stately oak trees flank these natural watercourses. The entry water feature is also the main sign at the vehicular entry to the airport. It is a unique waterfall built of local honey colored limestone. The waterfall spills behind the letters of the airport sign creating a dynamic movement to the idea of people, cars, airplanes and freight moving into and through the busy capital of Texas. A stream winds down from the entry waterfall into a lower pool. Along both sides of the stream are perennials and native grasses, which provide seasonal color. Large live oak and red oak along with mountain laurel, red bud and yaupon holly trees add shade and mass to the planting design, as well as fall and summer foliage. The exit water feature meets the first time visitor with a ?EUR??,,????'??Welcome to Austin?EUR??,,????'?? that is part of the stonescape and waterfalls seen upon leaving the airport. Color is also the theme here. The boulders used are native limestone rocks that make the composition grounded into the Texas landscape. All plants used in the airport are native plants, a requirement of the landscape project by the Austin City Council. The nature and character of the airport facilities were re-thought after initial planning and construction was developed early in the five-year process. The landscape project added a much needed ?EUR??,,????'??Austinization?EUR??,,????'?? to the new $670 million airport. Since the water features were only a part of the scope of work in the contract, we mobilized our men to other areas of the project while we planned the delivery of the 670 tons of boulders that had to be brought in from the quarry. A. J. Brauer Stone Co. of Jarrell, Texas was our selection for the stone supplier. After a trip to the quarry with the architect, for hands on submittal of the boulders, we received his blessings and preceded to stage the job with semi-trucks loaded with approx. 24 tons per truckload. The concrete work had been done and the curing process was completed, so the real fun begun. Our quarry blocks were squared off on the ends and presented the problem of fitting them around a curved surface. We set up our portable quarry equipment and started mitering the ends of the blocks to facilitate placing them on the radius. First we cut the blocks to the desired angle with our 14?EUR??,,????'?? Makita cut-off saw. Then we used our Makita electric jackhammer to dress down the block ends. Finally we drilled two opposing holes, angled toward each other, for inserting ?EUR??,,????'??Louis pins?EUR??,,????'?? to lift the heavy blocks. Then we could have total control over where we set them down. All the stones had to be wet mortared in place and strapped to the concrete back-up wall, so we had to develop an assembly line mentality in order to get up to production speed. The natural boulders were a lot easier to handle. Since these stones had to represent the natural look, we used the sling method for lifting and placing them. Of course the sling method requires lifting the rock on one end to remove the straps after you have set it down in the wet mortar. Sometimes this could be accomplished by using one of our forklifts, but often it required a rock bar and man power. Needless to say, we slept well after a day of boulder setting. Islands were created in the large ponds to reflect the coves and inlets often found by boaters as they explore the beautiful lakes that make Austin such an oasis of Texas. The concrete construction was typical concrete work in the Texas sun. One hour after the concrete hit the ground it was in the final set. This was a problem we could only resolve by making predawn pours. After 10:00 a.m., we had to add ice to the ready-mix trucks in order to keep the temperature down and acceptable to the city inspector who was there to supervise all our concrete pours. One interesting innovation we used to create a leave-out in the pond wall for a waterfall bypass channel was molded Styrofoam. The Styrofoam made the exact shape possible without building a complicated form that would have been all but impossible to remove after the concrete cured. With the careful use of gasoline, the Styrofoam disappeared and left us with the perfect shape for the by-pass channel. The operating system was relatively simple and used standard fountain equipment. A Paco 20HP, 3PH recirculating pump is the heart of the entry fountain, with a 5HP Paco filter pump added to help clean the water. Two 36?EUR??,,????'?? Pac-Fab Triton TR140C sand filters make up the filter system for the more than 55,000 gallons of water in the operating mode. The exit waterfall uses two pumps, a 15HP and a 10HP recirculating Paco pumps with a 5HP Paco filter pump. Two 30?EUR??,,????'?? Pac-Fab Triton TR100C sand filters clean the 33,983 gallons of water in the exit fountain. Since the design did not call for a chlorination system, periodically the city maintenance crew will dump a blue-green chemical into the water to control the algae. The first day after chemical treatment, the water has a lot of foam in it and with the enhanced color, it makes one think the fountain had a midnight raid by vandals dispersing Tidy-Bowl into the water. The Austin Bergstrom International Airport water features reflect the seasonal changes that occur in Austin. During periods of drought, the city crew turns the water off to honor Austin?EUR??,,????'???s water conservation program. Of course the opposite is true when the rainfall is normal and the water splashes with the freedom that gives our town its reputation of water sports capital of Texas. Bill Wilmot is an estimator and project manager of L & R Landscape Services, Inc.?EUR??,,????'???s hardscapes division.