There's also the financial element to consider. Many standard pondless fountains are advertised to offer an energy saving low-flow output. Even still, more elaborate designs with custom waterfalls ...

In part because of this, Schopper said, many people are converting to pondless waterfalls by filling the pond basin with rocks. "Then you only need as much water as will filter through the rocks ...

“They’re like the lowest-maintenance water features you can have.” In a pondless waterfall, water cascades and babbles over various levels, then seemingly vanishes into the ground.

Contributed photo A pondless waterfall and creek bed are the highlight of the Sampson family's Bettendorf backyard. It also features a firepit.

Maschka said a suggestion was made to have a pondless waterfall to eliminate some of the typical problems that most waterfalls experience when people throw things in the open water.