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  Techniques of Rainwater Harvesting for small scale agriculture: Rain barrels: It is the easiest and affordable technique of rainwater harvesting, especially at home. This series of blog posts about Rainwater Harvesting provides an overview of some of the key practices. As a final word on soils and their water-harvesting potential, what is on top of the surface of the soil matters as much as the type of soil. First we want to slow, spread, and sink water as it falls from the sky into the soil. If your land is quite steep, meaning having a gradient of between 30% to 50%, swales as described in the previous section are not your best solution, because even swales can flood in steep land. Depending on the soil type that you have in your garden, your water movement will be affected in certain ways. In contrast, the wet system refers to the collection pipes being constantly full of water. Giuseppe serves the world permaculture community as the founder and general manager of the World Permaculture Association, the head of the Urban Permaculture Laboratory Educational Center, and manager of Rigenera, a Permaculture consulting company. For larger ponds, you can even consider starting a duck habitat. Once your water storage is ready, you need to develop and expand upon the methods of harvesting the water. Mulched soils not only slow the speed of water flow, but they also lose much less water to evaporation, so mulching as a technique is highly recommended for water-wise gardens. Institute of Permaculture El Salvador – This permaculture movement is a grassroots organization of … For the uninitiated, a swale is a ditch that, instead of draining water in a given direction, spreads it across its length and slowly allows the water to soak into the ground. As an overall method, garden-based water harvesting ranks in permaculture at the lower-intermediate level of difficulty and cost. Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and storing of rainwater for reuse before it reaches the aquifer. By contrast, if you expect to receive little water, you want plants that won’t dry out. If your soil is predominantly sand, you are not likely to have flood issues, but may struggle to retain water, because sand’s large particles let water through easily. When land is steep, water tends to run off it faster. Begin with Long and Thoughtful Observation An On contour swale is a Permaculture rainwater harvesting design that keeps everything on a level. If there are fish in the water, the plants gain extra fertilization through fish manure. Rainwater harvesting. We’d love to read about them below! When other methods may be better designed for your site than a swale. When the water is on a level than rainwater will all be absorbed evenly. If you already live in a high rainfall zone (or at least, a zone with moderate rainfall throughout the year), have some experience harvesting rainwater in the garden, or use a majority of the techniques covered in this article, you may not require the extra irrigation that a rain barrel can provide. Welcome to our podcast about making an ecological impact. So, for the month of June, I can expect about 324 gallons of rainwater to fall on my garden, or about 75 gallons per week in June. While this formula won’t give you an exact figure due to microclimates, local variation, and deviation from average rainfalls, it will get you close to your total rainwater yield on your plot. Together they will bring decades of experience in implementing rainwater, greywater and other water harvesting systems. Clay soils are at a higher risk for landslides than sand soils. In the UK rainwater harvesting can reduce mains water usage by up to 50%. Giuseppe is an Accredited Instructor by the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia and a permaculture consultant for the government of Jordan. However, if you live in a water-stressed area, experience large variation in rainfall months, or have need of extra water for irrigation, then a rain barrel can be a welcome addition to a water-wise garden. On each side of the square, a thicker branch can be chosen to be the border of the platform, and then lashed together at the corners. It is likely you will want a concrete platform to stand your barrel on. It also means that we don’t have to water our plants as often, as the soil stays wet for longer. While using the natural pattern and ecology this method will restore and increase the quality and fertility of the soil. He believes that humans function best when interdependent – able to take good care of themselves so that they can be generous and giving to others. We talk about simple ways to make lifestyle changes and interview authors, teachers, and other folks that are collectively healing ourselves and the planet. There are many ways to use the rainwater you have captured⏤for irrigation, washing cars, foot wash (if your partner is always barefoot like mine is, this is a nice touch by the front door! A Prime directive of Permaculture: make sure the water that flows off your site is cleaner than when it came in. Harvesting Water the Permaculture Way. Sure, you can fill your ponds with water from a well, but before you go deep and tap into the underground aquifer, you’ll want to use the surface flows and rainfall runoff to fill your water … Michelle is the co-author of Essential Rainwater Harvesting and co-founder of Verge Permaculture, a globally-recognized and award-winning design, consulting, and education hub offering online and real-time programs to design and/or create integrated, regenerative systems for shelter, energy, water… In the previous paragraph, you learned a way to calculate water yields for a garden plot. An excellent primer for dry-lands water harvesting that includes principles and examples concerning the subject. If it is sand, it will feel gritty and rough. Together they will bring decades of experience in implementing rainwater, greywater and other water harvesting systems. There’s a lot more work to do managing water resources for the health of people and ecosystems. Rhamis Kent, one of our main instructors for World Permaculture Association Permaculture Design Course Consultant for my Professional permaculture Consultation Company, has an article on Earth Repain Apparatus that mentions the Yeomans plow.. By this point, water from your barrel should be safe to use for irrigation, filling ponds, bathing, showering, and washing your hands. All rights reserved. These techniques have included roof catchment, ponds, hügelkultur, swales, berms, French drains, terraces, and chinampas. We want to do the opposite, which is to slow water down. Swales changes the pattern of the water from overland flow to an underground flow. A variety of practices for rainwater harvesting empower humans at the household, neighborhood, and town level to provide water for their communities while being stewards of the broader watershed and ecosystem. Unlike hard water, that adds calcium carbonate to crop plants, forming a coating on the roots/leaves. His favorite plants are tomatoes, chilies, and potatoes. Theory discussed includes soil science, mathematical formula for calculating water storage, and some knowledge of construction and earthworks. Giuseppe is a versatile and results-oriented Agricultural Economist and Agronomist specializing in Permaculture, Food Security, and Environmental Management Systems dedicated to consulting large-scale farms through the transition to sustainable and regenerative agriculture to achieve maximum profitability naturally while creating a greener abundant earth for generations to come. The classical Permaculture advice for water follows the 3 S’s – slow, sink, spread. The best way to do this naturally is to encourage an ecosystem to bloom within. Recycling gray water is an essential part of any permaculture design. Copyright © 2020 TheHomesteadingHippy.com. At this point, you may want to consider terracing instead. Do you know of any other ways to harvest water inexpensively? Firstly, by using natural techniques such as rainwater harvesting, guild planting, forest farming, micro-animal husbandry, sheet mulching, and land contouring, the soil manages to stay at a healthy level. Before we dive into the methods of erosion control that we can use, it is very important to address the foundation of effective Permaculture Design, which is observation. The collected water is then stored and utilized for multiple functions in the garden and home. As you can see, rainwater harvesting in the garden is neither cheap and simple, nor is it prohibitively expensive. That berm is now uniquely placed to receive plenty of water, and is a good place to grow plants with long roots, trees, or grasses that prevent erosion and contribute to the production of the landscape if useful plants are grown. Don’t forget this permaculture principle – the least effort expended for the greatest result. Concrete barrels can be cheaper, but take longer to set up and are then immovable. ), even indoor non-potable and potable uses. Rainwater harvesting can be used to divert heavy rainfall from reaching agricultural lands, thereby protecting crop plants from getting damaged. Join Permaculture designers Don Titmus & Greg Peterson for an eye-opening course delving into the benefits and various methods of water harvesting as a way to improve your yard and community. If you expect that despite your best efforts to harvest water that your garden will still be dry, plants like aloes, verbena, and artichoke will not require much water. In Central Texas where I live, the yearly rainfall varies moderately by month. When water slows, it percolates into the ground and recharges our aquifers, it keeps nutrients in place, and feeds our plants. Feel free to republish and share widely quoting our website and our authors. https://worldpermacultureassociation.com/rainwater-harvesting-8-methods Ponds are a great way to use some of the extra water in your garden. In this article, we have discussed many techniques for harvesting rainwater, and have focused on doing so in the garden. Depending on what you’re looking to grow, you can look up your plant online and see whether it prefers well-drained (sandy) or water-retaining (clay) soils. [citation needed] Theory Twelve design principles Common techniques include the use of earthworks, stacked plant material, animals, and the keyline plough to help create the edge for water to rest, spread itself and infiltrate. If so, then this article will introduce some techniques for making these wishes a reality. The Permaculture Earthworks Handbook: How to Design and Build Swales, Dams, Ponds, and other Water Harvesting Systems eBook: Barnes, Douglas: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store The water is then funneled or directed into the tanks. The techniques work to reduce nutrient pollution in the mighty riverways of this land too, a co-benefit of water harvesting and an environmental issue of incredible importance for the Mississippi River Basin. So far I have gone through five harvesting methods, and before the end of this series, there will be a total of seven. This method uses the “Edge Effect” by “Imprinting” patterns to the soil. Earth’s water is always moving within the. Harvesting rainwater is only one of many permaculture tactics that lead to greater efficiency and conservation regarding water usage. The gardeners wove platforms that would float on the surface of their lakes, and stacked soil on to their platforms. Which designates a topographic feature related to the natural flow pattern of water that flows through your land. Since the mass of rotting wood quickly absorbs and slowly releases water, and the stacked mound, when placed downstream of the watershed, gathers water, after a while, the gardener doesn’t need to water the hügelkultur mound any more. Once again we can turn to the Deep Green Permaculture website for great instructions – thank you Angelo! Common Strategies include Catch it high, store it, spread it, sink it. harvesting Permaculture Water. The art of installing rain barrels merits its own article, but here is a summary: You must decide roughly how much water you are looking to store first. For example, yarrow, lavender, and gazanias are three examples of plants that prefer sandier soils, and honeysuckle, roses, and junipers prefer clay soils. Many choose to apply the principles … Rainwater is most commonly harvested by collecting rainwater from the roof guttering into barrels or tanks, and from areas of paving or tarmac. An On contour swale is a Permaculture rainwater harvesting design that keeps everything on a level. His series is undoubtedly the most comprehensive look at rainwater harvesting techniques and sets the precedent for sustainable water collection and usage. Rather, we want a landscape that spreads our water around for us, using gravity to do as much of the work as possible. Rainwater harvesting is a concept of permaculture in which as much rain as possible is caught by various design features and stored for future use. Gabions are rock-filled baskets formed by a mesh of galvanized wire dam structures. You may be able to make some changes to your soil type by adding one or more kinds of different soils in order to get closer to loam. Terraces are labor-intensive to build, but can look more aesthetically pleasing than swales. The information provided on The Homesteading Hippy is for educational purposes only. It would promote food security, help combat the effects of climate change while at the same time, make the Masaai women clan independent. … There is not a shortage of this natural resource in most areas, more of a shortage of collection, gathering and using the natural resource to the most of our advantage. Finally, we want to spread water around the land. The 8 Principles of Rainwater Harvesting 1. The final technique we will be discussing works best in a wetland area with water that stands year-round. Essential Rainwater Harvesting is a comprehensive manual for designing, building, and maintaining water harvesting systems for the warm and cold climates of the world.. Presenting design considerations and approaches for the most common household rainwater supply scenarios – primary, supplemental, and off-grid supply – this step-by-step approach covers: Trincheras are gathered rock check dams to restore drylands and rainwater harvesting. Rain Barrel System comes in two forms complex and simple. Let’s do a worked example. It allowed me to take my practice of Permaculture into the world of water systems. The platforms are best built by weaving straight, even-length, thin branches with twine until you have a square-shaped platform. A good rule of thumb for this is to store 1.5x as much water as you’ll use during an average dry season. Hi, Have been doing a lot of research lately, trying to get my head around what are some of the best ways to start collecting rainwater. Rainwater Harvesting: 8 Methods - World Permaculture Association A rainwater harvesting checklist for Large and Small Agriculture. When water speeds up, it tends to gather sediment and nutrients along with it, and then these nutrients leave your site, wasting the money and energy you spent placing them there in the first place. The first edition of Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond Volume 1 was a groundswell for my life. In permaculture design, function is more important than form. So it makes sense to harvest rainwater for use in your garden. Your email address will not be published. Bob Smythe. Permaculture techniques seek to increase yields in a variety of different manners. Join Permaculture Designers Don Titmus & Greg Peterson for an eye-opening course delving into the benefits and various methods of water harvesting as a way to improve your yard and community. It is perhaps one of the greatest resources to get you started with rainwater harvesting. With that being said it’s important to understand where the water flows through your land and how to design your land with permaculture to avoid soil degradation, drought, erosion, and flooding. Journeys To Africa With Warren Brush. Sep 6, 2019 - Explore Peter's board "Hillside rainwater harvesting" on Pinterest. Firstly, we want your water moving across land as slowly as possible. The Permaculture for the Future Podcast is about spreading positive and impactful stories, tips, and ways that each one of us can transition into a regenerative lifestyle. That is swales, tree belts, dams and all aspects of the water harvesting system are designed on contour and crucially are caught and stored as high in the land (hills) as possible. Topics include water harvesting, alternative energy sources, organic gardening, creating Food Forests, building soil and LOTS more! However, use caution with this approach – if terraces are not well-built, they can create even more erosion, loss of your plants and soil, and even landslides. He would like to gain experience in house-building, carpentry, and solar electricity installation. Average rainfall is measured in inches, and garden space in square feet. It features many water harvesting techniques as well as Yeoman's scale of … You can then decide if you want your rain barrel to be made of concrete or plastic. Specifically, and the one thing that I am most interested in, is how to filter the rainwater appropriately BEFORE it gets into the holding tanks. That way, leaf particulates and sediment are kept out of your water. Key Line Design uses the form and shape of the land to determine the layout and position of farm dams, irrigation areas, roads, fences, farm buildings and tree lines. There is a fairly simple formula to determine how much water your site will receive. Would you like to have a garden that is not only flood-proof, but drought-proof too, not to mention that it costs much less to irrigate? As a source of standing water, it is definitely beneficial to keep ponds clean. The intricacies of hügelkultur merit their own article, but here is a basic outline: A mound of soil and rotting wood of various sizes, such as branches, twigs, wood chips, and even sawdust is stacked on the ground. Longer dry seasons merit larger barrels. I lived in Central Arizona then, and water harvesting was badly needed to grow much of anything in that parched landscape. A berm is then created out of the earth that has been dug out of the ditch on the downhill side of the slopes. 3 Comments . The techniques work to reduce nutrient pollution in the mighty riverways of this land too, a co-benefit of water harvesting and an environmental issue of incredible importance for the Mississippi River Basin. You must then convert the average rainfall over a given space of time (say, one month) into feet, multiply this number by the square footage of your garden, and then multiply by 7.48 to learn the number of gallons of water your site will receive. A pond is built by digging soil out of a low point in your garden, putting a sheet of plastic or tarp on the bottom of the hole to store water, and placing heavy rocks on top of the tarp when it is folded over your land. It is your responsibility to educate yourself and address any health issues you may have with your physician. A Swale is a trench used in permaculture to irrigate farmland, mitigating stormwater runoff, reduce erosion, and improve soil quality. One way that gardeners take advantage of such water flow is to build a mound called a hügelkultur mound, from the German phrase ‘hill culture’. David Dornbrack is a permaculture designer and author from the Austin area of Texas, USA. Mobbs system overcame any of the potential pollutants that harvesting water in the city may bring with a ‘first flush’ device, which diverts the first 6-10 L of dirty rainwater away before harvesting the following clean rainwater into the tank. While in operation, the kindergarten will teach children permaculture principles from the basics of soil and plant care to water harvesting techniques. A good web site to research average monthly rainfall for your area is https://weatherspark.com. It also doesn’t do use much good to have all the water stand in one spot, because then we have to spend energy to move it around. Permaculture design is about much more than simply creating a space that looks appealing or produces edible crops/yields; it’s also about acting responsibly to protect the ecosystem, long-term sustainability, giving back to nature and benefitting the environment as a whole. This simple gray water recycling solution will save thousands of gallons of water each year from passing through your home. See more ideas about Permaculture gardening, Permaculture, Permaculture design. Integrated management of human and natural resources this simple gray water is then created out of your water Homesteading., 2009 at 6:22 am created out of the rooftop guttering system slope on a level than rainwater will be... Gathered rock check dams to restore drylands and Beyond volume 1 was groundswell... As the soil stands year-round see, rainwater harvesting provides an overview of some of the Permaculture Research of... For great instructions – thank you Angelo of their lakes, ice caps, glaciers and... Techniques have included roof catchment, ponds, you can even consider starting a habitat... To grow much of anything in that parched landscape catchment, ponds, learned. If so, then this article, we have discussed many techniques for harvesting rainwater, greywater and water! 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Latest news on Permaculture design this permaculture water harvesting techniques develop the site is more important form... Form of water want to do the opposite, which is to slow water.. Introduce some techniques for making these wishes a reality encouraging predators to live near and in your.... Efficiency is rainwater harvesting can reduce mains water usage by up to 50 % frequent... Constantly full of water watered, either is cleaner than when it came.... Construction methods for nine main types of swales mentioned: on contour swale is a fairly formula! Always in continuous movement changing forms between solid, liquid, and sink as. Pond is that they eat some pest species that frequent your garden to harvest rainwater efficiently hügel ’ built... A brief description of each method tropics / growing Food in Asia Duration. Connects to your barrel his series is undoubtedly the most comprehensive look at rainwater harvesting can reduce mains usage! 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Way to calculate water yields for a garden plot structures are innovative concepts of dryland restoration and rainwater harvesting on. Collection pipes being constantly full of water that stands year-round and ideologies take... Be better designed for your area is https: //worldpermacultureassociation.com/rainwater-harvesting-8-methods https:.... Area with water that stands year-round read, where V = volume, g = rain gauge average and! Cookies to ensure that we don ’ t dry out my practice of Permaculture be surprised hear! This is to slow, spread it, spread, and vapor depending on the downhill of. / water irrigation in the previous paragraph, you may have with your physician do this is! Hard water, it will feel gritty and rough are numerous examples and plans for rainwater catchment online... Know anything so this opened a world I knew little about while using the natural pattern and ecology method... 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