Arizona Water Feature Design

Bill's Roundup: Things to do This Weekend

Intermittent closures are expected tomorrow on Highway 89A at the Granite Creek bridge. The Arizona Department of Transportation will conduct the closures from 5 am to 6 pm and the bridge will be closed for up to 10 minutes at a time as crews place girders on the southbound portion of the new bridge. Trucks carrying concrete girders will be staged along Highway 69 in the right lane from the Frontier Village intersection to the beginning of the right lane turn to the Prescott Resort. In addition, access from Highway 89 onto the tribal road leading to the Prescott Resort will be closed. Traffic will be directed by flaggers and law enforcement officers will be present at the north and south ends of the bridge to ensure the safety of drivers through the work zone.

The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors will set primary and secondary property tax rates. The tax rates are for Yavapai County and various Fire and Sanitary Districts; Streeting, Street Lighting, Domestic Water and Wastewater Improvement Districts and the Red Rock Road Enhancement and the Sheriff’s Posse Community Road Improvement Maintenance Districts. Also during the Board’s voting session, which will be held at the County Administrative Services Verde Valley Complex on South 6th Street in Cottonwood at 9 Monday morning, consideration will be given to commemorative coins. The Board recently approved a Centennial Committee project that would allow certain organizations to create their own coins using the die for the County’s Centennial design. The Board will discuss whether the County wishes to create its own commemorative coin and how it would be used. The cost for 1,000 coins would total more than $3400.

The closure of the southbound lanes of the Highway 89A spur to Robert Road in Prescott Valley remains in effect. The Arizona Department of Transportation will continue this closure in the southbound lanes of the spur between Highway 89A and the intersection of Robert Road until the end of August as crews perform guardrail work. Motorists traveling southbound on Highway 89A who wish to access Robert will be rerouted to Viewpoint Drive where they can turn around and travel eastbound on 89A and then travel southbound on Robert. The construction detour will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage.

ADOT is advising drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Also in Prescott, gas line relocations are complete on Yavapai Hills Drive, Prescott View Place and Doka Drive as part of the City’s Fiscal Year 2012 Pavement Reconstruction Project. Gas line relocations on Mosher Lane are expected to be complete by the end of the month and those relocations have started on Fair Street.

Articles 20VN | The Beauty of a Backyard Waterfall | phoenix ...

Installing a backyard waterfall adds an excellent touch to any desired aesthetic. In addition to its obvious contributions to the beauty of your yard, practical considerations make waterfalls an even more appealing feature for any yard, and numerous choices and customization options make it possible to install waterfalls even in situations that may seem impractical at first glance. If you're pondering installing a backyard waterfall, here are a few points to consider.

Moving water is much easier to keep clean, and water features can be difficult to maintain due to algae and insect growth on their surfaces. Waterfalls are great at circulating large volumes of water in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally critical for minimizing these consequences. Fountains are certainly less expensive options for aeration, though they are also vastly less efficient, moving far less water than does the waterfall.

Waterfalls are also pleasant to hear. Not only is the sound of falling water peaceful and relaxing, but it is also excellent for drowning out background sounds. As our lives become increasingly urbanized, noise pollution becomes more intrusive, and while the stress of constant sound may not seem intense, it serves as a low-grade anxiety for many. Falling water is a great source of white noise, replacing the chaos with something far more tranquil. Listening to the soothing sound of falling water can serve as an inexpensive, therapeutic source of stress relief, making even the most mundane backyard seem like an exotic getaway.

Most obvious, however, is a waterfall's visual appeal. Watercourses offer a great deal of flexibility in detailing of their surfaces, lighting and even plant life. There are perhaps as many choices in waterfall design as there are those interested in owning one, and having a waterfall in your yard is sure to spark interest and inspire much conversation. You can even tie backyard waterfalls into existing pools, serving as a clever way of returning filtered water back into the pool.

Backyard waterfalls can also serve as an excellent place to raise fish. Fish make excellent pets for some, and watching them swoop and soar through the water features you provide for them can be a source of great joy. Of course, introducing fish into your design takes extra thought, as numerous factors must be considered before they may safely be added, but for those wishing to raise fish beyond the aquarium, backyard waterfalls and ponds represent an excellent alternative.

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