Running water is a powerful force that can cut through rock.
Come on, folks, get your free water right here. That's what rain is -- free water. All that's necessary is to catch it and hold it until it's needed. Harvesting rainwater is good for everybody, especially the planet, and can be done on any scale, from farmland measured in square miles to house plants on a windowsill.
Instructions
1. Harvest rainwater from agricultural land by contour plowing, making rows across the slope of the land so that it stays in the furrows long enough to soak into the soil. Terrace steep slopes by creating flat step-like levels with controlled runoff channels. This keeps rainwater from racing downhill and taking soil with it to end up where it's of no use to the farmer.
2. Collect storm water from freeways and other paved roads (especially those under construction) by digging catch basins at strategic points nearby and directing runoff loaded with dust and dirt to them. The soil will drain faster, allowing construction to resume sooner, and the water will eventually seep back into the water table after filtering through the soil. Even if the water stands for a long time, it will create wetlands habitat for birds and other animals. In dry areas, the catch ponds will eventually fill up with sediment and erase themselves.
3. Utilize runoff from the roofs and sides of industrial and commercial buildings by channeling it into a collection system to use for toilet flushing and other non-drinking purposes. Condensation from air conditioning systems can add significant amounts of recaptured water. If the system contains a filtration and purification process, the water can even be made potable. While erosion is not usually a problem in urban areas, this can relieve pressure on city storm drains and prevent erosion downstream at the eventual outlet.
4. Investigate a rainwater harvesting system on a moderate scale for capturing rainwater from a group of houses or a small community. This may involve sharing the expenses of buying or making the collecting system and digging a cistern to store the water. This is particularly effective in areas where heavy seasonal rains are followed by dry periods when the extra water can be used for irrigation to prevent wind erosion of the soil.
5. Capture rainwater from the roof of a private home, using gutters and downspouts to lead it to storage containers (remember Grandma's rain barrel) or even an underground cistern. This also keeps water from downspouts from washing away soil near the home's foundation. Apartment dwellers can set out buckets on a fire escape and collect rainwater for houseplants, as it is much better for them than chemically treated city water.
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