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Rain Water Swales

Capturing Rain Water

Is it that we don't have enough water or is it that the water that rains on us just runs off the property?

Did you know that the amount of water used in your shower pales in comparison to the amount of rainwater that runs off your property? Yet we think we can solve the problem by taking less showers.

Step 1. Reclaim rain water.

The first step to capturing rain water is the use of swales. Swales are defined as a shady or marshy spot of the your property. But in terms or permaculture, we define it as trenches that should be cut along the contours of the slopes.

The main purpose of the swale is to slow water running off your property and allow it time to sink into your water table. Swales improve the water tables for your wells. Swales can be designed to move water slowly through your property and gather in living ponds.

Swale Cross Section. Runnoff prevented and captured. Rain sinks into the underground water table

Check out these Videos on Swales

Permaculture Water Harvesting

Steve Miller of Permaculture Research Institute of Australia has a quick 1 minute video introduction to designing countour swales for permaculture farms

Permaculture Keyline Water Systems

with Tom Ward of Wolf Gulch Farm

Tom Ward is one of the elders in the Permaculture and Community-supported Agriculture and his Wolf Gulch Farm is featured in the Oregon State University Horticulture department course entitled "Permaculture Design Course & Advanced Design Practicum" taught by Andrew Millison

Permaculture Design for Water

This 6 minute introduction video from Oregon State University Ecampus give a quick overview of designing water systems for your permaculture environment. This video also introduces the "Observe, Interact and Design" pattern which is part of the "Nature knows Best" principle we use.

Oregon State University has a whole series of Permaculture video that are worth watching. You can find their YouTube Channel here