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Calcimator

Water Feature Flow Calculator

Calculate pump size, pipe diameter, and flow rate for waterfalls, fountains, and sheer descent water features.

Inputs

in
ft

Results

Required Flow Rate

2,400 GPH

Recommended Pump Size

2,880 GPH

Pipe Diameter2 in
Total Head (with friction)3.9 ft
Monthly Electric Cost$22.46
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Select the feature type: 1 = sheer descent/spillover, 2 = waterfall, or 3 = fountain/bubbler.
  2. Enter the spill width in inches — the width of the water curtain or lip that water flows over.
  3. Set the drop height in feet and the desired water thickness in inches for the visual effect you want.
  4. Review Required GPH to select a pump rated at or above that flow rate at the operating head.
  5. Check Pipe Diameter and Head Loss to ensure your plumbing can deliver adequate pressure.
  6. Use Monthly Electric Cost to evaluate the long-term operating expense of running the feature.

How the result changes with Spill Width

Spill WidthRequired Flow RateRecommended Pump Size
131,300 GPH1,560 GPH
363,600 GPH4,320 GPH
646,400 GPH7,680 GPH
878,700 GPH10,440 GPH

What each input means

Feature Type
1 = Waterfall, 2 = Fountain, 3 = Sheer Descent / Spillover.
Spill Width
Width of the waterfall spillway or sheer descent blade.
Drop Height
Vertical height from pump level to the top of the feature or desired spray height for fountains.
Water Thickness
Desired water flow thickness (0.5 = thin sheet, 1 = normal, 2 = heavy flow, 3 = torrent).

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Feature Type = 1, Spill Width = 24, Drop Height = 3, Water Thickness = 1 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Required Flow Rate
    Required Flow Rate
    2400 = 2400
  3. Calculate Recommended Pump Size
    Recommended Pump Size
    2880 = 2880
  4. Calculate Pipe Diameter
    Pipe Diameter
    2 = 2
  5. Calculate Total Head
    Total Head
    3.9 = 3.9

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