and dry dams as well as dams that hold water all year round
The water that runs over the ground is gone in minutes ,but when it s redirected into the ground ,takes months to move along ,and so it is held with in the property.(but unseen)
So we dig a lot of canals that collect the water and lead these in to holes or dams ,if they hold the water is not important
Because what they leak ,leaks in to the soils ,and there it will be for a very long time.
The more holes the better
I always build all of my roads or pathways first,(and they are high and dry) in circles or oval shapes that form the edges of lower plots in the centers ,
like a lunar land scape
You can now imagine how much water will be contained in the heaviest rainfall.
If your land is in a very arid place and deep sandy ground ,like a dessert ,you can dig deep plots (always bowel shaped ,)line them with plastic ,plastic carrier bags from the shop that have plied up for example) return the soil ad manure and compost ,and you got a water retaining plot by the end of it ,the plastic stopping the water from sinking too low for the roots to get at.
Have gutters along side the paths ,(Use the ground to raise the paths )
with inter connecting canals (make bridges or use pipes to cross over the paths)so that the excesses flow on, .onto a dam at the lowest part of the property,
If the property is large have several dams at regular intervals
If the dams contain the water all year round put in fish and a variety of aquatic plants ,fish shrimps frogs etc ,to stop them from becoming bre4eding paces for mosquito`s.
Even the smallest cement ponds in my garden have fish in them for that reason.
general note on Water harvesting
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
Use drip irrigation this being the most economic and has the least evaporation especially if your plots are all mulched.
Plant wind breaks to stop the wind from drying out the place as well more scattered trees to provide partial shade from the sun.
check my page http://byderule.multiply.com/journal/ite...
for more ideas ,under Design and Water
this is the main page,http://byderule.multiply.com/
Also from any buildings ,separate the Grey waters (bath,sinks,) from the sewage or black water ,and lead them straight in to the grounds
For the Kitchen sinks you may need a grease trap ,(which is very simple to make ,
The sewage or black water you can also lead into the land via a cistern with 2 compartments a connecting opening at the bottom of the dividing (solid)wall with an overflow into a long ditch filled with stones (French drain) which is covered with plastic or something and then soil with trees on top
a system like that with the cistern of 2 cubic meters can handle 5 or more toilets at a time (.more toilets bigger cistern.)
You now occupy all second hand water as part of the concept water conservation .
No water that gets in is wasted or lost .
as well as using what you irrigate with economically.
You can go one step further and connect the sink water to the toilet ,so that after you wash your hands it is used to flush the toilet.
But everything ends up in the land any way so ,
what me worry.
http://landscaping.about.com/od/introduc...
http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/x...
Good luck!
~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years
One thing to consider would be the use of soil amendments that conserve water. (A soil amendment is something you add to the dirt to change it in some way.) The best one that I am aware of is called %26quot;Pozzolan%26quot; or %26quot;Lassenite ATS%26quot;. This is an all natural product that will hold water in the soil and release it as needed back to the plants (or grass, trees, etc.). Using this product will help the school save on water and on fertilizers. It is already being used in the Middle East to grow grass in the desert. Studies show that it will reduce water use by 35 to 50%.
Good luck with your research! www.earthwayllc.com
www.westernpozzolan.com
www.technogreencorp.com