New Boston NH – Koi Pond

A second feature for our clients in New Boston, NH

After completing a 15-foot pondless waterfall for these New Boston, New Hampshire homeowners, we were invited back the following year to create a much larger water feature: a 12′ x 20′ koi pond designed around the homeowners’ love of fish and their desire for exceptionally high water quality.

The original plan called for the pond to be located alongside the house near a proposed future deck. Before construction began, however, the homeowners decided to relocate the pond to the back of the house. The new location had several advantages. An existing deck overlooked the proposed pond area, while a seating area immediately outside the house created another natural place to enjoy the water. Moving the pond also gave it a more private, secluded feeling within the landscape.

The relocation required us to rethink the design around the existing grade, views, and circulation of the property. One particularly interesting sight line became apparent during the project: the basement windows at the back of the house were actually the homeowner’s office. That meant the pond and waterfall could be enjoyed not only from the deck and outdoor seating area, but while working inside the home as well. We kept this view in mind as we built the waterfall, carefully considering how the feature would appear from the office windows.

This is something we place a great deal of importance on when designing water features. A pond or waterfall shouldn’t only be considered from the perspective of someone standing directly beside it. We look at the views from patios, decks, seating areas, kitchens, family rooms, and even offices. When a water feature can become part of the view from inside the home, it provides enjoyment throughout the day rather than only when the homeowner is intentionally using the outdoor space.

For this koi pond, the homeowners chose a constructed wetland filter. Their goal was to support a larger fish load while maintaining exceptionally high water quality. A properly designed wetland filter provides substantial biological filtration by moving pond water through layers of rock and aquatic plants, creating a large environment for beneficial bacteria and other biological processes that help keep the pond healthy.

The wetland filter also became an important part of the overall design. Because the natural slope of the property ran away from the house, we needed to create additional elevation in order to establish the headwaters of the waterfall. We built a substantial berm supported by large retaining boulders, creating the elevated foundation necessary for the wetland filter and the waterfall that would flow from it.

Rather than treating that berm as simply a structural necessity, we incorporated the boulders and natural rockwork into the waterfall design. The wetland filter became the beginning of the stream system, with water emerging from the upper portion of the feature and making its way down through a series of carefully constructed drops and pools before entering the main pond.

Another important component of the system is the intake bay. The intake bay serves as an alternative to a traditional pond skimmer, drawing water through a larger, open area at the edge of the pond. The circulation creates a strong current through the intake, which makes it possible to collect leaves and other debris with a skimming net while providing easy access for routine maintenance.

The koi also quickly made the intake bay part of their environment. The current creates a natural treadmill effect, allowing the fish to swim into the flow and work against the current before moving back into the pond. It has become an active part of the pond rather than simply a mechanical component hidden from view.

An intake bay can also be particularly well suited to koi ponds because it eliminates the concern of fish being pulled into a skimmer. With a traditional skimmer, fish can sometimes become trapped as water is drawn through the system. The open design of an intake bay allows the koi to move freely in and out of the current while still providing strong circulation and effective debris collection.

Construction itself presented some challenges. Weather conditions during the project required us to protect the excavation with large tarps while we worked toward getting the liner installed. Maintaining the integrity of the excavation during periods of unfavorable weather is particularly important on a project like this, where the pond’s final shape depends on carefully established shelves, elevations, and grades. Once the liner was installed, we were able to move forward with the rockwork and begin turning the excavation into the finished pond and waterfall.

The finished 12′ x 20′ koi pond became a natural extension of the home and surrounding landscape. The existing deck provides an elevated perspective over the pond, while the seating area outside the house brings the water feature into the family’s everyday outdoor living space. From the homeowner’s office in the basement, the waterfall provides yet another perspective on the feature.

This project was especially rewarding because it represented the second water feature we had built for these homeowners. Our relationship began with the reconstruction of their original pondless waterfall, where we transformed an existing DIY installation into a natural-looking water feature built into the property’s existing slope. Their satisfaction with that project ultimately led to the opportunity to design and construct this koi pond the following year.

The New Boston koi pond demonstrates how a water feature can be designed around both the needs of the fish and the way the homeowners experience their property. From the constructed wetland filter and intake bay to the elevated waterfall and carefully considered sight lines, every major element was incorporated with both function and enjoyment in mind.

The result is a koi pond that provides a healthy environment for the fish, high-quality water through extensive biological filtration, and multiple opportunities for the homeowners to experience the sound, movement, and beauty of water throughout their home and outdoor living spaces.

“Mike is an amazing artist, we love our Koi pond and Waterfall, he is talented and can be trusted to do a great job, anyone considering a Koi pond reach out and we can arrange a viewing of Mikes work” – Paul