Rain, even an inch, can amount to a lot of run off. Causing floods, erosion, and more over an extended area. Here is some basic information about how to capture and use this run off.
For swales to work properly, they must be planted with vegetation that can utilize the water that is being stored / infiltrated, or else the top mounds will become compacted and begin holding, rather than infiltrating water, …
Bio-swales: An Integral Component of a Clean Water Solution …
by David Frantz, David Michael Frantz Landscapes Your landscape can help to save water, clean our creeks, and replenish groundwater, all while creating.
In this video from The Permaculture Research Institute, Geoff Lawton explains the simple yet elegant concept that is the swale. Formally defined by Bill Mollison as “long, level excavations, which can vary greatly in width and …
Using Swales Around Your Home
Raised Beds & Terraces « ecologia design
Raised beds shaped on contour, also known as swales, sculpt your landscape in beautiful patterns that clearly define path and bed. Clearly defined raised beds and pathways help avoid soil compaction, allowing the soil to …
One more bit with very useful info if you are at all interested in swales.
green-change.com9/5/11
The notes from my recent presentation to Jamberoo Community Growers on swales.
Additional Resource:
- Lake Superior Stream.org, a resource from Duluth, Minnesota, offers a swales toolkit that covers this drainage feature in some detail.