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Water Conservation Strategies, Grace Beaudoin, Angéline Aylward, Gloria…
Water Conservation Strategies
CONSERVING
High organic matter
”The cheapest place to store water is in the soil”
Organic matter helps to act as a sponge to hold absorb watter in the soil
Soil with at least 2% organic matter can reduce needed irrigation by 75%
Contouring to catch water
Sculpting the land to hold water
Swales
Water gets spread out along its lenght
Allows rainwater and surface water catchment
Slowly percolates in the soil
Shallow trench
Terraces
Slows down water
Using the topography of the land
Plants that are harmonious with water
Native Plants
Mediterranean vs. desert plants
"Thirsty" Plants
Put in closer “permaculture zone”
Drought Tolerant Plants
Mediterranean plants vs. desert plants
Relationships to pay attention to
soil
climate
microclimate
surroundings
Dense planting
Shades soil
Can reduce evaporation up to 60 percent
Keeps root temperatures down which reduces transpiration and moist exhalation
Shades plants
Reduces transpiration of plants and holds moisture
A lot of plant, especially cool-seson crops, perform better with some shade
Mulching
Organic Mulch
Prevents erosion
Protects soil structure
Softens temperature swings
Additional Nutrients
Rocks as mulch
Cold rocks attract heat which condenses and keeps soil moist
Rocks absorb solar radiation which keeps soil warm
CATCHING
Rainwater Harvesting
Rooftop collecting
Use of large tanks to store water
Ponds
Benefits
Visually pleasing
Cheaper than a tank
Can hold a lot of water (more than a tank)
How it works
Usually lined with plastic, rock or hard clay
Deep hole to store rainwater
Habitat for fish and plants
Possibility to have two ponds, one for irrigation and one for fish and harvestable plants
Possiblity to add a swale alongside the pond for overflow
Permaculture Principles Associated
Catching and storing energy
Use and value renewable resources and services
Use small and slow solutions
Greywater
Possibility to reuse water
Average American family uses 100 to 200 gallons of water a day
Greywater could be used for multiple purposes
Home use
Garden use (irrigation)
If not contaminated, could be used for drinking water for animals
Must use biodegradable soaps and products
Benefits for Environment
Reduces pollution
Reduces strain on sewage / septic systems
Increases resilience
Life-enhancing cycle, closed loop system
Less energy used (and wasted)
Less need for infrastructure
Builds biomass
Boosts fertility
Possible Permaculture Systems
1. Basin in the sink
Add the water to a well mulched garden
Reuse dishes or cleaning water
2. Drain to mulch basin
Tap into the outlet of a washing machine, tub or shower and isolate it from the drain lines that carry toilet wastes
3. Four shimmering ponds
Greywater from bath and laundry first flows through a small marsh that brims with bog plants and grasses (removes contaminants).
Clean water trickles over rocks through three small ponds
Finally, the graywater ends up in a duck pond
4. Wetlands
Natural way of purifying and recycling water
Dirty water slows through a marsh or bog where the resident plants, microbes, and animals feed on the water contents & purify the water from pollutants and contaminants.
Plants in a wetland system
Essential
wetland plants
Bulrush
Canna lily
Cattail
Soft rush
Reed canary grass
Additional
wetland plants
Arrowhead
Comfrey
Lotus
Taro
Horsetail
Permaculture Principles Associated
Catch and store energy
Obtain a yield
Use and value renewable resources and services
Produce no waste
Why? / Benefits
Water availability
Only 0.375% is accessible
Ecological design helps to conserve precious water resources
Plant Resilience
Conserves Resources
Allows plants to survive without constant care
Increases resilience to survive droughts as well as too wet periods
Protecting soils
Contouring, mulch, and organic matter help to prevent soil erosion
Sequesters carbon
Synergies
Complementary strategies support each other & yield multiple benefits
Harbors microbe habitat
Reduced need for irrigation
Reduces strain on groundwater
Reduces risk of aquifer/groundwater depletion
Reduces energy use (for pumps for example)
Reduces water waste
Grace Beaudoin, Angéline Aylward, Gloria Léger-Goodes and Evelyne Léveillé