Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Catching, conserving and using water - Coggle Diagram
Catching, conserving and using water
Most of the water on Earth is not accessible to us (only 0,375% is)
3% fresh water
3/4 locked in ice
1/2 of unfrozen fresh water is 2 500 feet or more below ground embedded in rock
Yards consume a lot of water
Conventional garden design does not create the conditions for moist soil
Relies on
Electric pumps
Power plants
Wells
Ressource intensive irrigation system
Ecological design
Survives the vagaries of weather without constant care
Saves labour
Conserves resources
Energy
Water
Source
Dammed reservoir
Blocks fish migration
Floods once-wild land
Well
Source unknow
Unreliable
Ancient aquifer (fossil water)
Soon will be depleted
Strategies
Overall benefits
Survive drought
Survive the too-wet periods
Permaculture principles
Each function is supported by several elements
Capture water
Hold water
Recycle water
Supporting the garden's water needs
Mulch
Rich soil
Reliable irrigation system
Example: Zemachs' garden
Relies on almost no municipal water
Five techniques
Organically rich soil
Boosts plant growth
Contouring the landscape to catch water and direct it where needed
Protects from erosion
Drought-tolerent plants
Planting densely to shade the soil
Boosts yields
Protects from erosion
Mulch
High level of organic matter
Boosts plant growth
Protects from erosion
Well-chosen techniques interlock and complement each other to create synergies and yield serendipitous benefits