Pump Size and Waterfall Height

The final consideration for pump size is the amount of water flow planned for streams and waterfalls. As a general rule of thumb, a minimal-flow waterfall will require 50 GPH for each inch of waterfall width. An average-flow waterfall will require about 100 GPH per inch of waterfall width and a strong waterfall will require 200 GPH per inch of width. Another rule of thumb: a one inch by one inch section of waterfall will accommodate 150 GPH of flow.

Remember to take the waterfall height (head height) into account, in addition to the desired flow rate, when determining the required pump size.

Example: A 24" wide waterfall with an average flow would need 2400 gallons per hour of flow. All the rules mentioned above should be followed to achieve this flow.

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