Although located less than half a mile from State Highway 85, as the crow flies, the waterfall and high fences surrounding Ken and Barbara Snarr's backyard water garden make any traffic and neighborhood noise completely inaudible. The garden's 4,000-gallon pond with vegetation and 50-some fish create a quaint oasis in suburban Mountain View.

On July 18, the Snarrs' secluded ponds will be made accessible to all as part of the Santa Clara Valley Koi & Watergarden Club's 18th Annual Pond Tour. The tour, which runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., features six homes in the county, each with impressive water features -- all meeting the mission of the club, fostering greater understanding and appreciation for koi keepers and water gardeners.

The Snarrs' water garden, one of two ponds on the property, commits to no singular style and bursts with personality and color. Lotus, cattail and three varieties of water lily accent the surface of the pond and are visited by vivid orange dragonflies, blue damselflies and the occasional hummingbird passing through. A waterfall at the far end of the pond is shaded by a leafy, twisted tree and the huge leaves of a black taro plant. A Japanese-style bridge divides the pond. The garden is situated such that the pond may be viewed in its entirety from a covered patio area.

Decorative sculptures, including stone Buddha figures, metal and plastic frogs, a Japanese tanuki (raccoon dog) statue, brightly painted ceramic lizards and a wire peacock, punctuate the fence and pond perimeter. "I like having the animals around," Barbara Snarr said of the decorations. "It gives it personality. It (the garden) has to be something that you would enjoy."

Within the pond, several varieties of fish, including koi, shubunkin goldfish and mosquito fish, swim in such a way that mesmerizes even their owners. One can't help but pause to take in the shifting golden yellow, orange and surprising black hues of the fish.

The eclecticism of the water garden's decoration and inhabitants is reflected in the Snarrs' 5,000-gallon sterile pond as well. Referred to as "sterile" because the pond lacks any vegetation necessary for the koi to lay eggs, the pond incorporates a waterfall studded with tidy potted plants, including a number of bonsai projects. A small black pine more than 100 years old stands demurely in the corner, near a Japanese stone lantern. The fence enclosing the pond displays a rusted two-person handsaw and a painted wooden wheel, relics of a Western motif. Within the sterile pond's steep walls glide 18 large koi, the Snarrs' "big fish," representing 12 to 14 different breeds.

The sterile pond is the product of a lengthy learning and revision process. "This is the fifth version," Ken Snarr said. The pond started out as a small water fountain in a rose garden about 10 years ago, and grew from there. The water garden was developed soon after.

Both ponds are consistently updated. "You do not leave it the same," Barbara Snarr said. "You change plants, you change ideas."

A large scrapbook documents the ponds' construction and will be displayed during the tour so that visitors might gain a better sense of the work behind the transformation of the features, Barbara Snarr said.

Although the revisions are regarded as improvements, the Snarrs advise others to "build it right the first time," citing the club as a valuable source of support and information. "We always tell people to go to the club before you start a pond," Barbara Snarr said.

"We didn't learn about the club until we'd made a bunch of mistakes," Ken Snarr said. "(People) have to do some research to do it right, because there are so many ways of doing it wrong."

The Snarrs have been heavily involved with the club for several years; Ken currently serves as a board member and assists selecting ponds for the Annual Pond Tour, and Barbara is former president.

This year, the tour features six ponds in Los Altos Hills, Saratoga, Mountain View, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Los Gatos, representing a spectrum of styles and grandeur. "We always try to have one spectacular (pond) and one that the average person can do," the Snarrs said.

The Los Altos Hills pond can only be described as "spectacular," Barbara Snarr said. The 2.5-acre property features a 27,000-gallon water garden, beautiful landscaping and a 900,000-gallon lake. In contrast, the Los Gatos water garden features waterfalls but no fish, demonstrating an attractive style perhaps more manageable and affordable for some.

"Everyone ... integrates their pond into their way of life," Barbara Snarr said. "It's wonderful to come out at night when it's hot and watch the fish with a drink in your hand and just relax."

The tour also includes information on technical aspects of the water features, as well as the specifics of each pond. "It's a chance to get to see how to design a backyard and work a feature in, and I think it satisfies a little bit of the voyeur in all of us," Rita Hughes, club member and Pond Tour coordinator, said. Volunteers and docents will be stationed at each pond to answer questions and assist visitors.

"We have people for whom this will be their 18th year (going on the tour)," Hughes said. "They make a point to come every year." Tour organizers expect 300 to 1,000 visitors throughout the day. "We thought our turnout last year would be very low, but it was what it has been in the past, despite high gas prices," Hughes said, positing that this year will be similar.

Tickets cover admission to the six locations as well as a map and booklet detailing each pond. Visitors may start at any of the six locations and travel to the others as they see fit. Visitors must arrange their own transportation.

What: 18th Annual Pond Tour
When: Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Six ponds in Mountain View, Los Altos Hills, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Gatos
Tickets: $15 for adults, $5 for teens, children under 12 free
Info: Call 650-969-0715 or visit www.sckoi.com.