2013/12.2, December 18 — Winter Water Spectacles, Perfect Landscape Lighting, Thwarting Reindeer and more

December 18, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Shaping the Night

Effective landscape lighting requires a careful balance of several key elements, explains Janet Lennox Moyer, the chief among them being the fine art of lighting plant material. In this feature, one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject of exterior lighting describes the way she approaches this part of her projects, revealing the thought processes and practicalities involved in making greenery come alive when the sun sets.

This article, originally published in March 2005, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Frosted Plumes

If you are among those who live where it gets really, really cold this time of year, Jim McCloskey recommends bundling up, braving the great outdoors and seeking out local watershapes that present their viewers with rare and wondrous winter spectacles. [more]

PONDCRAFT 101

A Pond After Dark

It’s a simple fact that many working homeowners see their backyards after the sun goes down more often than they see them in daylight. That’s why Eric Triplett installs lighting in almost all of his ponds — a process he covers in splendid detail in this video. [more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Reindeer-Proof Holidays

The holiday season is a time for caring and sharing, observed Scott Cohen at this time last year — but feeding Santa’s reindeer when they stop by is asking too much. Here are some timeless planting suggestions that will help guide these marauders elsewhere. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Eastern Eclectic

Years in the making, this project pushed its designers to their creative limits. The result, says Ben Dozier, is a set of French- and Asian-influenced garden rooms highlighted by plants, sculptures, garden ornaments and fine hardscape treatments — oh, yes, and plenty of water. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#10: Acrylic Pool Wall

Those thick, clear acrylic panels that are being included in more and more pool projects these days are definitely as cool as Mike Farley declares in this recent video. But as he points out here, success with the look requires the installer to be fully up to speed with a few key details. [more]

The True Spirit of Sportsmanship:

Florida Boy Gives Swim Meet
Trophy to Hospitalized Rival

[more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

On the March

Progress with WaterShapes.com is coming so steadily that it can go unnoticed, observes Jim McCloskey, which is why he’s calling attention here to the completion of a major project that promises to bring WaterShapes to a new generation of aquatic professionals. [more]

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

A long time coming, the digital archive of all 131 back issues of WaterShapes is now complete and ready for reference by watershapers, their clients and everyone else who wants to know more about a fascinating art form. To gain access and have a look around, click here!

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Young Swimmers Evacuated from Changing
Room Because of Prosthetic ‘Pool Pervert’

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. When staff at a swim center saw a foot sticking out at the bottom of a changing room cubicle, they evacuated the youngsters who were getting back into their street clothes after a swimming lesson. But, the website of the Mirror newspaper reveals, “…when they opened the changing room door, they saw the suspected pervert was a prosthetic leg innocently left by a disabled man while he went for a swim.” Where did this amusing case of mistaken identity take place?

a. USA b. France c. Italy d. UK

2. And speaking of alleged pool perverts: Dailytelegraph.com.au reports that an Afghan man seeking asylum in Australia has been arrested for “indecently assaulting” a number of teenage girls at a Sydney swimming pool. The man allegedly grabbed “the girls around the waist, touching their thighs, bottoms and breasts.” What, according to his lawyer, is his defense?

a. Bad eyesight b. Bad swimming skills c. Bad nutrition d. Bad English

3. Around two-dozen feral pigs that inhabit a tiny Caribbean island (now referred to as Pig Island) love to go swimming in the warm waters surrounding their home. What country does the island belong to, according to deepseanews.com?

a. The Bahamas b. Jamaica c. Dominican Republic d. Grenada

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/12.1, December 4 — Using Reflections, Liner Repair ABCs, Soil Basics and more

December 4, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Graceful Reflections

The potency of water’s reflective nature is a component of watershaping that is all too often ignored or left to chance, says renowned environmental artist Anthony Archer Wills. When considered from the outset of a project, however, the brilliance and subtlety of a reflection is something he uses to completely transform the experience of viewing water in ways that become ongoing sources of delight and fascination for his clients.

This article, originally published in February 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

A Stitch in Time

All sorts of interesting things happen on a job site. Eric Triplett knows, for instance, that the misplaced jab of a shovel occasionally means that a pond liner will need a bit of emergency repair work — a process he walks through step by step in this important video. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Ground Work

There’s no room for guesswork when it comes to structural engineering, says Ron Lacher, especially with concrete structures designed to contain water. Here, he discuses the precise planning and attention to workmanship that are often the keys to watershaping success. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Keep It Clean

No pool owner wants to spend his or her free time netting leaves or fetching sunken debris. That’s why, as Lew Akins relates in this brief video, he’s so determined to bundle an automatic cleaning system of some kind into virtually all of his watershape projects. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Just Amazing

In converting past columns from the magazine to the web site, Jim McCloskey couldn’t help noticing that there was something special about a standout element of many of those items — that is, the profound artistry of Rick Leddy, the magazine’s longtime art director. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

A Villa for the Ages

The Getty Villa hosts what may be the world’s greatest private collection of Greco-Roman antiquities. But as Eric Herman reports, it’s also a visitor’s delight for its classical architecture, subtle gardens and elegant watershapes — not to mention great views of the Pacific Ocean. [more]

Are Diamonds a Swimmer’s Best Friend?

Million-Dollar Swimsuit: Wretched
Excess with a Wacky Tan Line!

[more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 6 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Golden Goggles Award: Which Swimmer
Was Named ‘Female Athlete of the Year’?

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. According to Web site espn.go.com, USA Swimming recently named Ryan Lochte “Male Athlete of the Year” at its annual Golden Goggles awards ceremony. Who was named “Female Athlete of the Year” at the event?

a. Missy Franklin b. Haley Anderson c. Katie Ledecky d. Allison Schmitt

2. Swimvortex.com reports that longtime national swimming coach Mitch Ivey — who was a teammate of Mark Spitz at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games — has been banned by USA Swimming for his alleged history of sexual misconduct with young female swimmers. For how long is Ivey now banned from the sport of swimming?

a. 10 years b. 15 years c. 20 years d. Life

3. A number of great white sharks were videotaped recently swimming right under surfers off a beach of one California community. Happily, notes americanlivewirre.com, no one was attacked. Where did this take place?

a. Manhattan Beach at El Porto b. Mission Beach at San Diego
c. Capistrano Beach at Dana Point d. Big Kahuna Beach at Barstow

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/11.2, November 20 — Behind Disney’s Magic, Rocking a Pond, Olympic Vistas and more

November 20, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Riding a Golden Wave

Completing the fountain for Disney’s California Adventure theme park presented watershaper Dave Wooten and his company with immense technical and operational challenges: In crafting a huge artificial ocean wave that serves as the park’s symbolic core, he and his staff not only pushed the limits of hydraulic and mechanical design, but also met incredible standards for planning, performance and system serviceability set by an awesome client.

This article, originally published in September 2006, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

Rocking and Rolling

It may be fun to place rocks and boulders and watch a pond really take shape, says Eric Triplett, but as this detailed video attests, it’s also lots of hard work. What keeps him going, Triplett adds, is the fact that this part of the project is also a grand exercise in artful improvisation. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Olympian Aspirations

Any trip to Atlanta, writes Jim McCloskey, should include a pilgrimage to Centennial Park for a long look at the Fountain of Rings — a monument to Atlanta’s spectacular hosting of the 1996 Olympic Games that’s been a great public gathering place ever since. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#9: Leaf Cover

It’s not a glamorous detail, notes Mike Farley, but in many parts of the country at a certain time of year, a leaf cover can be a crucial part of the full pool/spa package. Here’s a video that shows their annual autumnal value — and how intricate these fabrications can become. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Paying It Forward

While at his booth during the recent International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo, Jim McCloskey met a young watershaper who had an unusually probing question about this digital newsletter on his mind — and, it turns out, plenty of ambition to go along with it. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

At Play in the Fountain of Life

Extraordinary scope and logistical coordination: That’s what the design, engineering and construction of ‘The Fountain of Life’ project was all about. But that was only part of the story, says Eric Dobbs, with playfulness, whimsy and a blistering desert sun having their roles, too. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

The Poor and Women Need Not Apply, but . . .

Swimming Is All the Rage for
Some in Kabul, Afghanistan

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Nature’s Way

Back in November 2008, Brian Van Bower turned his attention to the natural side of watershaping — and elaborated on a familiar set of constraints he encountered along the way. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Michael Phelps Doesn’t Want
Anyone to Compare Him to . . .

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. Michael Phelps passed the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug tests he took in the third quarter of 2013, opening the possibility of his return to competitive swimming. According to olympictalk.nbcsports.com, Phelps was quoted as saying: “If I decide to keep going and swim again, then I’ll compete. If I don’t, I guess I’ll re-retire. Just don’t compare me to ____________.” Fill in the blank with the correct name.

a. Floyd Mayweather b. Brett Favre c. Lance Armstrong d. Michael Jordan.

2. Washingtonpost.com | The Associated Press reports that Ryan Lochte will not compete in next month’s Duel in the Pool swim meet in Glasgow, Scotland, due to a physical injury. What part of his body was injured?

a. Left knee b. Right elbow c. Left ankle d. Lower back.

3. The usnews.nbcnews.com web site notes that a giant sinkhole in one Southern state swallowed (among other things) one homeowner’s entire backyard pool. What state?

a. Alabama b. Louisiana c. Mississippi d. Florida.

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/11.1, November 6 — Shimmering Island Delights, Pond Skimmer ABCs, Deck Engineering and more

November 6, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Shimmer and Shine

Looking for a surface material as unique as the resort itself, the designers of Jade Mountain turned to David Knox of Lightstreams to create completely original tile products for use in the structure’s 25 vanishing-edge pools, with each one to have its own unique colors and optical qualities. Here, Knox describes the process of deploying glass tiles throughout one of the world’s most unique and extensive watershape environments.

This article, originally published in April 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

Setting the Skimmer

Proper installation of a skimmer is crucial to the success of most pond projects, both hydraulically and aesthetically. AsEric Triplett demonstrates in detail in this video, getting this step in the process right is all about good planning — and plenty of precision on the job site. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Working Multi-Year Relationships

For Dan Lenz, completing a watershaping project is often just the beginning of a long-term relationship with his clients — one that will, if he handles things properly, carry him back into homeowners’ yards for periodic updates, upgrades and even major renovations. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Expansion Solutions

When the soil expands under a concrete pool deck, the pressure can turn the finest slab work into an unsightly clash of cracked planes and angles. There are ways to overcome this expansiveness, says Ron Lacher, but first you need to know what you’re up against. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Family Fun

The approach of Thanksgiving and November’s national pool show has Jim McCloskey thinking about turkey and family fun — and about the changing state of the art with WaterShapes as it moves into the future with all sorts of new items on the agenda. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Amazing Grace

Fallingwater — Frank Lloyd Wright’s sublime interweaving of architecture, forest and water — is one of the world’s most photographed and studied residences. It’s also a favorite travel stop for David Tisherman, who marvels at a grandeur that has never been matched. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 6 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

Sports Poisoned by Politics:

Israel and Its Athletes Discriminated

Against at Swimming World Cup

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

It’s Always Something!

You need to take care in selecting plants, advised Stephanie Rose ten years ago in her Natural Companions column, because making the wrong choice might lead you on ‘invasive’ adventures. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Ugh! Video of Blood-and-Guts
Food Fight in a Swimming Pool

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. In honor of Halloween, London-based mobile network giffgaff produced a gory, campy video with 150 people hurling fake blood and internal organs at one another, all at the bottom of an empty swimming pool. The disgusting video images are accompanied by “Walk of Shame” by American rock duo __________.

a. Deap Vally b. Deap Cavrn c. Deap Oshin d. Deap Rivr

2. The opera company of one major U.S. city recently mounted a production of “Orpheus & Eurydice” at a local natatorium, with the facility’s lap pool standing in for the River Styx. In what city did the watery production appear?

a. New York b. San Francisco c. Miami d. Chicago.

3. A structure that claims to be “the world’s biggest building” has opened in a large Chinese city; it is reportedly three times bigger than the Pentagon and includes, among many other facilities, a waterpark. Where is the mega structure located?

a. Beijing b. Shanghai c. Chengdu d. Guangzhou

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/10.2, October 23 — An Otherworldly Hilltop, Lining a Pond, Revisiting the Fair and more

October 23, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Viewing a Dream

There is no way to describe this home other than as ‘art,’ says watershaper Steve Dallons. It was a mountain of a project that demanded every bit of skill and craft he and everyone else who worked on site could muster, but the opportunity to work on a world-class project designed by a renowned architect made everything worthwhile, even enjoyable. And the proof of the achievement is in the photographs, as this feature amply demonstrates.

This article, originally published in June 2004, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

All Lined Up

As Eric Triplett sees it, the process of making a pond is about performing a sequence of tasks so well that no problems can ever arise. In this video, he shows what that means when it’s time to install the underlayment and all-important liner for this project. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

A Fair to Remember

Visits to New York tend to focus on Manhattan, notes Jim McCloskey. While that makes a certain amount of sense, he nonetheless recommends a side trip to Queens to see the magnificent, literally global fountain that was the symbol of the 1964 New York World’s Fair. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Designing for Access

Setting up a pool and spa for a client who uses a wheelchair involves the designer and builder in myriad critical details that, as Lew Akins discusses in this video, are all dedicated to the cause of making it as easy as possible to get into and out of the water. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Welcome to Paradise

When it comes to listing the most ambitious of all uses of water in recreational settings, says Steve Kaiser, the resort known as Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas, should quickly come to mind because of its multiple pools, slides, fountains and marine exhibits. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Helpful Heat

An arm’s-length list of home improvement projects has kept Jim McCloskey hopping in recent months — and a note from a friend has renewed his conviction that his favorite form of watershape is an incredibly versatile, valuable source of comfort and relaxation. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 remaining complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

Exercise, Excitement and Safety . . .

Open-Water Swimming Vacations:

The Latest in ‘Adventure Travel’

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Planting Places

Back in October 2008, Brian Van Bower shared his thoughts on looking beyond the boundaries of pools and spas and looking for the potential in the rest of the site — especially one key area. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

While Snorkeling in the Pacific, Marine

Science Instructor Finds ‘Sea Monster’

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. While she was snorkeling off Catalina Island near Los Angeles, marine science instructor Jasmine Santana came across a dead specimen of the rare oarfish, which resembles a mythical giant sea serpent. Although the specimen she encountered was “only” 18 feet in length, how long can oarfish grow?

a. 30 feet b. 50 feet c. 80 feet d. 100 feet.

2. OxfordDictionaries.com defines wild swimming as…

a. Swimming in the nude b. Swimming while intoxicated or high
c. Swimming in natural bodies of water d. Swimming while playing water polo.

3. The dramatic impact of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on a swimming pool was captured on video. In what Asian country did the temblor take place?

a. The Philippines b. Republic of China (Taiwan)
c. Japan d. Cambodia

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/10.2, October 23 — An Otherworldly Hilltop, Lining a Pond, Revisiting the Fair and more

October 23, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Viewing a Dream

There is no way to describe this home other than as ‘art,’ says watershaper Steve Dallons. It was a mountain of a project that demanded every bit of skill and craft he and everyone else who worked on site could muster, but the opportunity to work on a world-class project designed by a renowned architect made everything worthwhile, even enjoyable. And the proof of the achievement is in the photographs, as this feature amply demonstrates.

This article, originally published in June 2004, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

All Lined Up

As Eric Triplett sees it, the process of making a pond is about performing a sequence of tasks so well that no problems can ever arise. In this video, he shows what that means when it’s time to install the underlayment and all-important liner for this project. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

A Fair to Remember

Visits to New York tend to focus on Manhattan, notes Jim McCloskey. While that makes a certain amount of sense, he nonetheless recommends a side trip to Queens to see the magnificent, literally global fountain that was the symbol of the 1964 New York World’s Fair. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Designing for Access

Setting up a pool and spa for a client who uses a wheelchair involves the designer and builder in myriad critical details that, as Lew Akins discusses in this video, are all dedicated to the cause of making it as easy as possible to get into and out of the water. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Welcome to Paradise

When it comes to listing the most ambitious of all uses of water in recreational settings, says Steve Kaiser, the resort known as Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas, should quickly come to mind because of its multiple pools, slides, fountains and marine exhibits. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Helpful Heat

An arm’s-length list of home improvement projects has kept Jim McCloskey hopping in recent months — and a note from a friend has renewed his conviction that his favorite form of watershape is an incredibly versatile, valuable source of comfort and relaxation. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 remaining complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

Exercise, Excitement and Safety . . .

Open-Water Swimming Vacations:

The Latest in ‘Adventure Travel’

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Planting Places

Back in October 2008, Brian Van Bower shared his thoughts on looking beyond the boundaries of pools and spas and looking for the potential in the rest of the site — especially one key area. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

While Snorkeling in the Pacific, Marine

Science Instructor Finds ‘Sea Monster’

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. While she was snorkeling off Catalina Island near Los Angeles, marine science instructor Jasmine Santana came across a dead specimen of the rare oarfish, which resembles a mythical giant sea serpent. Although the specimen she encountered was “only” 18 feet in length, how long can oarfish grow?

a. 30 feet b. 50 feet c. 80 feet d. 100 feet.

2. OxfordDictionaries.com defines wild swimming as…

a. Swimming in the nude b. Swimming while intoxicated or high
c. Swimming in natural bodies of water d. Swimming while playing water polo.

3. The dramatic impact of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on a swimming pool was captured on video. In what Asian country did the temblor take place?

a. The Philippines b. Republic of China (Taiwan)
c. Japan d. Cambodia

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/10.1, October 9 — Incredible Multi-Pool Plumbing, Contented Fish, Poised Pots and more

October 9, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Troughs and Trenches

The design and installation of the circulation, filtration and chemical-treatment systems for the pools at St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain was a task of monumental proportions and extreme technical, physical and logistical difficulty. The effort was spearheaded by watershaper/hydraulics expert Chris Barnes, who spent months on site installing precision systems engineered to provide years of nearly maintenance-free service.

This article, originally published in April 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

Safe and Secure

Those involved with ponds have a responsibility to see to the safety of the fish that inhabit them, notes Eric Triplett. That’s why he devotes this pivotal video to defining the value of including hiding places that will keep fish from harm — and shows how to build them, too. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Motive Power

At the heart of almost every pool or spa is a pump driven by a motor of one type or another. As Steve Gutai reveals here, there are distinctions among those types you need to know to maximize a watershapes’ energy efficiency and ensure its proper hydraulic performance. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#8: Poolside Pottery

If you want to make maintenance easy for homeowners, says Mike Farley, you need to think ahead and pay attention to key details from the planning stage forward. As discussed in this brief video, that includes some important matters having to do with humble potted plants. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

To a Healthier World

Evidence of the health-related benefits of watershapes of various kinds mounts up day by day, writes Jim McCloskey. That’s a fact of which every watershaper can justly be proud — and should think about communicating effectively to all potential watershape owners. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

The Enchanted Hill

The jewel of California’s central coast, Hearst Castle is the most public of all ‘private’ residences. Its two pools may in fact be the best known on the planet — but Skip Phillips urges visitors to take a look around and give the estate’s other beautiful watershapes their due. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

A Message to Inner-City Youth . . .

Celtics Forward Brandon Bass
Takes Swimming Lessons at 28

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

The Trouble with Liners

The majority of pond builders rely on liners to create their bodies of water, noted Douglas Roth back in October 2003. But when it comes to creating high-quality naturalistic watershapes, he wrote, there’s a better way. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Three People Swim Together from
Alcatraz to San Francisco . . . So?!

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. Three people – ages 17, 19 and 24 – made headlines by swimming together from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Many others have swum the treacherous, 1.25-mile course, so what was the big deal?

a. All three are autistic b. All three have Down syndrome
c. All three are blind d. All three are missing a limb

2. A landlord in Richmond County, Ga., was sentenced to jail for failing to clean or fill in a neglected swimming pool on a property he owns. This came some two years after he was first advised to take care of the pool by Richmond County Mosquito Control. He received the maximum jail sentence possible. What was it?

a. 30 days b.60 days c. 90 days d. 120 days

3. One Canadian city plans to build the country’s first chlorine-free, naturally filtered public swimming pool in 2014. The project is slated to cost $14.5 million (Canadian). Which city is it?

a. Vancouver b. Calgary c. Winnipeg d. Edmonton

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/10.1, October 9 — Incredible Multi-Pool Plumbing, Contented Fish, Poised Pots and more

October 9, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Troughs and Trenches

The design and installation of the circulation, filtration and chemical-treatment systems for the pools at St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain was a task of monumental proportions and extreme technical, physical and logistical difficulty. The effort was spearheaded by watershaper/hydraulics expert Chris Barnes, who spent months on site installing precision systems engineered to provide years of nearly maintenance-free service.

This article, originally published in April 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

Safe and Secure

Those involved with ponds have a responsibility to see to the safety of the fish that inhabit them, notes Eric Triplett. That’s why he devotes this pivotal video to defining the value of including hiding places that will keep fish from harm — and shows how to build them, too. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Motive Power

At the heart of almost every pool or spa is a pump driven by a motor of one type or another. As Steve Gutai reveals here, there are distinctions among those types you need to know to maximize a watershapes’ energy efficiency and ensure its proper hydraulic performance. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#8: Poolside Pottery

If you want to make maintenance easy for homeowners, says Mike Farley, you need to think ahead and pay attention to key details from the planning stage forward. As discussed in this brief video, that includes some important matters having to do with humble potted plants. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

To a Healthier World

Evidence of the health-related benefits of watershapes of various kinds mounts up day by day, writes Jim McCloskey. That’s a fact of which every watershaper can justly be proud — and should think about communicating effectively to all potential watershape owners. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

The Enchanted Hill

The jewel of California’s central coast, Hearst Castle is the most public of all ‘private’ residences. Its two pools may in fact be the best known on the planet — but Skip Phillips urges visitors to take a look around and give the estate’s other beautiful watershapes their due. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

A Message to Inner-City Youth . . .

Celtics Forward Brandon Bass
Takes Swimming Lessons at 28

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

The Trouble with Liners

The majority of pond builders rely on liners to create their bodies of water, noted Douglas Roth back in October 2003. But when it comes to creating high-quality naturalistic watershapes, he wrote, there’s a better way. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Three People Swim Together from
Alcatraz to San Francisco . . . So?!

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. Three people – ages 17, 19 and 24 – made headlines by swimming together from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Many others have swum the treacherous, 1.25-mile course, so what was the big deal?

a. All three are autistic b. All three have Down syndrome
c. All three are blind d. All three are missing a limb

2. A landlord in Richmond County, Ga., was sentenced to jail for failing to clean or fill in a neglected swimming pool on a property he owns. This came some two years after he was first advised to take care of the pool by Richmond County Mosquito Control. He received the maximum jail sentence possible. What was it?

a. 30 days b.60 days c. 90 days d. 120 days

3. One Canadian city plans to build the country’s first chlorine-free, naturally filtered public swimming pool in 2014. The project is slated to cost $14.5 million (Canadian). Which city is it?

a. Vancouver b. Calgary c. Winnipeg d. Edmonton

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/9.2, September 25 — A Connecticut Gem, a Chicago Classic, Mulholland’s Legacy and more

September 25, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Teaming Perfection

Every great watershaping project involves a measure of design inspiration followed up by an equivalent measure of excellence in execution. In some cases, notes watershaper Brian Van Bower, a single entity or person drives both processes, but it’s increasingly common these days for superb projects to be the result of a team effort — as in the project discussed here, where there was a collaboration among architects, designers, contractors and subcontractors aligned in pursuit of a shared goal.

This article, originally published in October 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

Digging In

In excavating a pond, you’re very much caught up in the sort of hard work on display in this video. But for many reasons, explains Eric Triplett, you should also be looking ahead and thinking about how the watershape will ultimately look when you add rock, plants and fish. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Choosing a ‘Look’

Most homeowners want to get involved in selecting their own tile and coping, observes Lew Akins. That’s why — as he discusses in this video — he does all he can to share his experience and ensure that his clients are ready to make well-informed choices. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Facing Our Aquatic Future

Gaining access to the life aquatic is no longer as easy as it was when he was a kid, writes Jim McCloskey. In light of that trend, he discusses the need to find more and better ways to provide avenues to swimming education and get kids back in the water, safe and sound. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

A New American Garden

James van Sweden has designed scores of renowned public and private spaces in the United States and abroad. Here, he profiles the Chicago Botanic Garden and its Great Basin, describing how he and his firm approached, bid and executed a project at the very highest level. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Wondrous Trouble

It may celebrate a history that many regret, notes Jim McCloskey, but there’s no denying the beauty of this tribute to the man responsible for bringing water to the desert that was Los Angeles — and for making bitter enemies of residents of a distant California valley. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

While Committing ‘Unspeakable Atrocities’ . . .

North Korea’s Kim Jung Un
Visits Waterpark Construction Site

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Proportional Responses

Watershape designs can easily get out of hand, wrote Brian Van Bower back in September 2003 — but he hoped through his column to persuade watershapers to step back and avoid getting carried away. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Has USA Swimming Banned

Anti-LGBT Discrimination?

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. At its recent House of Delegates meeting, USA Swimming (the national governing body of competitive swimming in the United States) voted to add sexual orientation and gender expression to other categories listed in its anti-discrimination rules — true or false?

a. True b. False

2. The city council of one Japanese metropolis is planning on turning the Dotonbori Canal — whose water currently is filthy and unfit for human contact — into an 800-meter-long (2,625-foot-long), sanitary swimming pool right in the heart of town. Which Japanese city?

a. Tokyo b. Osaka c. Nagano d. Kyoto

3. A court in one European Union country has ruled that a Muslim schoolgirl must take mixed-gender swimming lessons in accordance with her school’s policies. She will, however, be allowed to wear a body-concealing “Burkini” swimsuit. Which EU country?

a. Spain b. France c. Netherlands d. Germany

To find out how many you got right, click here.

2013/9.2, September 25 — A Connecticut Gem, a Chicago Classic, Mulholland’s Legacy and more

September 25, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Teaming Perfection

Every great watershaping project involves a measure of design inspiration followed up by an equivalent measure of excellence in execution. In some cases, notes watershaper Brian Van Bower, a single entity or person drives both processes, but it’s increasingly common these days for superb projects to be the result of a team effort — as in the project discussed here, where there was a collaboration among architects, designers, contractors and subcontractors aligned in pursuit of a shared goal.

This article, originally published in October 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

PONDCRAFT 101

Digging In

In excavating a pond, you’re very much caught up in the sort of hard work on display in this video. But for many reasons, explains Eric Triplett, you should also be looking ahead and thinking about how the watershape will ultimately look when you add rock, plants and fish. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Choosing a ‘Look’

Most homeowners want to get involved in selecting their own tile and coping, observes Lew Akins. That’s why — as he discusses in this video — he does all he can to share his experience and ensure that his clients are ready to make well-informed choices. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Facing Our Aquatic Future

Gaining access to the life aquatic is no longer as easy as it was when he was a kid, writes Jim McCloskey. In light of that trend, he discusses the need to find more and better ways to provide avenues to swimming education and get kids back in the water, safe and sound. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

A New American Garden

James van Sweden has designed scores of renowned public and private spaces in the United States and abroad. Here, he profiles the Chicago Botanic Garden and its Great Basin, describing how he and his firm approached, bid and executed a project at the very highest level. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Wondrous Trouble

It may celebrate a history that many regret, notes Jim McCloskey, but there’s no denying the beauty of this tribute to the man responsible for bringing water to the desert that was Los Angeles — and for making bitter enemies of residents of a distant California valley. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 7 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

While Committing ‘Unspeakable Atrocities’ . . .

North Korea’s Kim Jung Un
Visits Waterpark Construction Site

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Proportional Responses

Watershape designs can easily get out of hand, wrote Brian Van Bower back in September 2003 — but he hoped through his column to persuade watershapers to step back and avoid getting carried away. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Has USA Swimming Banned

Anti-LGBT Discrimination?

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. At its recent House of Delegates meeting, USA Swimming (the national governing body of competitive swimming in the United States) voted to add sexual orientation and gender expression to other categories listed in its anti-discrimination rules — true or false?

a. True b. False

2. The city council of one Japanese metropolis is planning on turning the Dotonbori Canal — whose water currently is filthy and unfit for human contact — into an 800-meter-long (2,625-foot-long), sanitary swimming pool right in the heart of town. Which Japanese city?

a. Tokyo b. Osaka c. Nagano d. Kyoto

3. A court in one European Union country has ruled that a Muslim schoolgirl must take mixed-gender swimming lessons in accordance with her school’s policies. She will, however, be allowed to wear a body-concealing “Burkini” swimsuit. Which EU country?

a. Spain b. France c. Netherlands d. Germany

To find out how many you got right, click here.