“The Fountain” Of Fountain Hills, Arizona

From the Center of a man-made lake, one of the "World's Highest Fountains" sends a snow-white jet stream of water 560 feet into the blue desert sky. It is the Centerpiece and landmark of Fountain Hills, a community of rolling hills and spectacular mountain views located just east of Scottsdale, Arizona, thirty miles from downtown Phoenix.

The performance of The Fountain exceeds its nearest rivals. At Canberra, Australia, the Captain Cook Memorial Jet attains an operating height of 450 feet, while in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, Le Jet D'Eau has a maximum height of 435 feet, New York City's Delacourte Fountain Rises 400 feet, and Pittsburg's new Point Fountain, 500 feet.

At 560 Feet, being one of the "World's Highest Fountains" it is 5 feet taller than Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It reaches 110 feet higher than the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt, and is more than 3 times as high as Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone Park.

A Dramatic Landmark

The Fountain is a sight to enjoy from almost every vantage point in Fountain Hills. It was conceived as a dramatic man-made attraction to accentuate the natural beauty of the surrounding desert hills and mountains. It is also symbolic of the spirit and enterprise of the people who live in this sunny, southwest region...the same spirit and enterprise that is making Fountain Hills an outstanding community for good living today and tomorrow.

Towering high above the lake, The Fountain dominates the view from The Avenue of the Fountains, a commercial thoroughfare in Fountain Hills. The center section of this palm tree-lined avenue has additional fountain, plus pools and waterfalls.

The Fountain utilizes re-circulated and reclaimed water from the 28-acre lake at its base, water which is also used to irrigate the surrounding park. At its present schedule of operation, the annual water evaporation factor is less than the amount required to irrigate an acre of cotton in a year.

Facts on The Fountain's Operation

High-pressure 600 HP pumps located in a specially designed pump house on the lakeshore draw water from the lake and deliver it through an 18-inch diameter pipeline to the nozzle of The Fountain. At full operation, water pressure at the nozzle is 375 pounds per square inch flowing at a rate of 7000 gallons per minute. This gives a velocity of 68.5 feet per second and puts more than 8 tons of water (approx. 2000 gallons) in the air above the nozzle. The Nozzle - Heart of The Fountain's Phenomenal Performance The uniquely engineered nozzle weighs nearly 2,000 pounds. It is mounted on a concrete base structure at the approximate center of the lake. Water is directed through its three sections to produce a turbulence-free flow with power which results in the great height the water column can reach.

Designed and built in Zurich, Switzerland, at the famed Institute for Hydraulic Research, the nozzle received extensive testing before being placed in its home at Fountain Hills. Its location was selected with full regard for average prevailing wind direction and speed.

Operation

The Fountain operates 15 times a day, as weather and wind velocity permit, on a schedule of 15 minutes operation every hour on the hour between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Brilliant Night Illumination

At night The Fountain becomes a jet of gold and white against the starry desert sky when lighted. Golden spotlights situated in the base of the jet spray send glowing illumination up the first 300 feet of the column where it blends with a contrasting silver -white light on the upper portion. This light comes from powerful mercury vapor lamps located along the lakeshore.The striking effect of lights and spray make The Fountain an inspiring "night sight" to see at Fountain Hills.

The Fountain - A Thing of Beauty

The developer of Fountain Hills constructed The Fountain and surrounding lake to create a thematic centerpiece for a community designed for beauty throughout. Since The Fountain first went into operation in 1971, it has been visited by thousands of people in all walks of life from all over the country. Almost without exception, it has been a source of acclaim for its aesthetic values most of all. The Fountain and the response it has received. And now you are ready to enjoy it yourself.