Streams & Flowing Water

Streams & Flowing Water Systems

Go with the flow. A meandering stream adds movement and life to your landscape design.

A convincing stream is all about grade and rhythm. We carve a winding channel with a usable slope, roughly two to five percent, then vary its width and depth so the water speeds up through narrow pinch points and pools where it widens. Boulders set at the outside of each bend, gravel graded along the bed, and a mix of stone sizes make the channel read like a creek that was always there rather than a trench filled with rock. The whole system recirculates: a hidden pump draws from the catch basin at the bottom and returns it to the source, so you only replace what evaporates.

Here in the Pacific Northwest a stream can do double duty. Because our winters bring heavy, sustained rainfall, we often shape the channel so it also carries roof and hardscape runoff during downpours, functioning as a decorative dry-creek overflow when the pump is off. That helps direct water away from foundations and patios, which matters on Vancouver’s slow-draining clay soils.

Keep the flow shallow, usually four to eight inches, for a safer and more natural look, and plan a small settling area so leaves and grit collect where they are easy to clear. A quick spring flush and an occasional check of the pump intake keep a stream healthy for years.