Oklahoma Riverdance

Story & Photos By Sam Rice, BB Mofic, LLC-Landscape Design & Contracting

35 tons of native Oklahoma stone were used to build this project. The contractor also bought 25 tons of moss boulders that came from southeast Oklahoma; they harvested another 10 tons of native red sandstone from the project itself. The river rock came from eastern Okalahoma and Arkansas. The larger boulders were set in place using a John Deere tractor with a front loader. The smaller rocks, about 95 percent, were set by hand.

This Guthrie, Oklahoma project challenged BB Mofic, LLC-Landscape Design & Contracting to not only shore up a decaying lake barrier wall, but also build a 64-foot long stream with a 12-foot vertical grade, which features multiple waterfalls and collection ponds.

''The homeowner also wanted me to build a water feature that would utilize the existing farm pond and incorporate a new series of streams, waterfalls, and garden ponds up next to the house,'' explained the contractor.

BB Mofic built a 150-foot wall leaving a small portion ''open'' so the stream could discharge back into the farm pond. The wall was built with a 4-man crew. The treated-lumber bridge was set in place, and is heavy enough not to need anchoring. It measures four feet wide by 10 feet long.

 


The contractor built two garden ponds next to the homeowner's patio with a waterfall at the top. The ponds were dug by hand. The contractor used 45-mil Firestone PondGard liner product under all the ponds and streambeds. The contractor sealed the liner in place using Firestone primer and sealant.

The Stream

The project presented the contractor with a massive undertaking. BB Mofic used 35 tons of native Oklahoma stone to build this project, as well as importing more than 25 tons of moss boulders from southeast Oklahoma. In addition to that, the contractor harvested another 10 tons of native red sandstone from the project itself. According to the contractor, ''The homeowner wanted to use as much native stone as possible.''

While the larger rocks were set in place using a John Deere tractor with a front loader, the smaller rocks, about 95 percent, were set by hand. The contractor stated, ''This makes for a very tedious process but is the only way to get the natural look desired and create the 'wow' factor.''

All of the retention and detention ponds, stream, waterfalls, and the portion of the water feature below the main streambed were built above grade, and then the contractor filled around it. The contractor lined the entire streambed with 45-mil Firestone PondGard liner product.

Another 2-foot high wall was built in a half-circle configuration to surround a lakeside seating area; the contractor constructed the wall from sandstone, which he harvested from the homeowner's farm.

The Sequence 8200SEQ22 Pump is a 14.75 x 7.7-inch, 450-watt, .5 horsepower unit that pushes a maximum 8,220 gallons per hour.

Pump It Up

BB Mofic installed two pumps for the system, including a Sequence 8200SEQ22 4000 series in-line pump to run the main system. The contractor also set a Shinmaywa 4800 submersible pump in an Atlantic skimmer in the lower ''garden'' pond next to the patio. ''This allows the homeowner to run either pump separately or together,'' declared the contractor. He added: ''When it rains, the farm pond can tend to be a bit murky, or downright muddy! This gives the homeowner the ability to keep the upper ponds clear.'' The contractor also built a filtration system in the bottom of the lower ''garden'' pond so the homeowner could have a fish-safe pond.

When the pump is on, the system draws water 130 feet up a 12-foot vertical grade, where it feeds an upper tier pond next to the homeowner's patio. The upper pond spills into a lower pond, then runs down into the streambed and meanders downhill to a series of waterfalls and retention/detention ponds. The water travels under a series of stone footbridges, through the lake's retaining wall and dumps back into the farm pond. The contractor planted a variety of plants along the stream, including: Hostas, dianthus, cooper ice plant, dusty miller, moneywort, variegated vinca, and dwarf shasta daisy.

The walkway was constructed using 1.5-inch flagstone, laid over pea gravel atop a concrete base. The walkway was installed in a single day. The contractor planted Hostas in the area as well. All landscaping is fed via an in-ground irrigation system.

The Shoreline Containment Wall

The property features an adjacent 2-acre farm pond that had begun to erode the shoreline and compromise a number of trees. The homeowner wanted the area wall repaired. Shoring up the wall involved importing several hundred cubic yards of fill dirt and tons of rock. The contractor created a spillway for the new stream to dump into the pond.

End Result

When all was said and done, the contractor had shored up the damaged lakeside retaining wall and built a 65-foot long stream and quiet sitting area.

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