Jump right into the pond tour

Ted and Mary Ann Voyles wanted to hear the sound of trickling water from a small pond in their backyard. The Voyles consulted a landscape specialist and their idea of a small pond became part of a bigger project.

"The first thing he did was jackhammer the original patio," said Ted Voyles. "The fellow who did our pond specializes in doing it naturally. He's a fisherman. He wants it to look like he's out at the river fishing."

After more than six years, the Voyles' small pond project has matured into a mini-ecosystem in their yard in East Valley. A waterfall flows into the pond containing scores of koi, goldfish and aquatic plants such as pond lilies and cattails. Stepping stones of flagstone connect the yard to a deck surrounded by flowers, shrubs, trees and the sound of running water.

The pond's designer, Jim Rowley, won the 2006 President's Award from Northern Nevada Landscape and Sunset magazine contacted him for a story as a result of the attention he received. The Voyles' pond was featured in a recent Sunset magazine article about Rowley.

The Voyles are two of the 50 members of the Northern Nevada Pond Club and their yard will be part of the 10th annual pond tour on Saturday.

"We open the pond area so people can come and ask questions," Voyles said. "Typically the people who come to the tours are interested in doing a pond or it's people who have ponds who are problem-solving."

Voyles said some may think ponds are easy and just want to dig a hole in the backyard.

"They think, 'Let's put in water and have it flowing down rocks.' There's so much more," he said.

Part of the pond's regular upkeep is to change 10 percent of the water, 1,000 gallons, once a week. The water is filtered through several layers of volcanic rock and a natural biological filter, also known as a marsh.

Voyles keeps tabs on the filtering system but said they enjoy the pond environment for three seasons a year.

"The big work is in the spring and that's about it," said Voyles.

The environment created by the pond and plants attracts wildlife to the Voyles' backyard. A life-like heron yard ornament had to be removed during mating season after the Voyles noticed a real heron checking out the impostor.

"We have three types of heron that frequent the pond," he said. "The great blue heron shows up several times a year. We've seen a black-crowned night heron and we had a green backed heron on our stepping stones over the water."

There have been sightings of kingfishers, common mergansers, mallards, woodpeckers and small hawks show up every winter to go after rodents and small birds.

"We saw a coyote pup," Voyles said. "We had six deer last winter and mountain lions follow the deer."

He pointed to a white-barked tree in his yard where he discovered claw marks probably not put there by the family tabby.

Voyles and other members of the pond club are ready to share what they've learned about ponds during Saturday's tour.

"You can find out about water quality, how to make sure your fish are healthy, the right plants to use and how to treat algae so you don't have to tear out your first attempt and start over," he said. "If you do it right and get advice, you'll be successful and satisfied."