Although we have been experiencing a La Niña weather pattern, with above average temperatures and below average rainfall, this pattern is breaking down. I’m even hearing talk of an impending El Niño weather pattern, which can be quite rainy. In this episode, I’m thinking long-term about our Southwestern weather.
Transcript
INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101 podcast. My name is Martha Retallick. I’ve been a water harvester for 20 years, and I’m looking forward to helping you get started.
Before we do that, here’s a little Tucson secret: For most of the year, we’re in drought. That’s just how life is in the desert.
But when the rains return, oh, do they ever. They often bring an unwelcome friend called flooding.
How do we reduce the risks of flooding? We do it with water harvesting.
Water harvesting encompasses three activities:
- Redirecting rainwater away from where it isn’t wanted to where it is.
- Storing rainwater for later use, for example, during a drought.
- Recycling “used” water. At my place, I don’t let laundry water go down the drain. Instead, it’s for the fruit trees.
We’ll be covering all of these topics and more, so let’s get started.
EPISODE: Here’s an episode devoted to a water harvester’s favorite obsession, the weather.
So far this winter, we have been experiencing a La Niña weather pattern, which means we have experienced above average temperatures and below average rainfall.
Well, let’s just say that La Niña isn’t as strong as she thought she was. She’s breaking down. We are experiencing above average rainfall – and more is on the way.
So far, for this the month of January 2026, nine tenths of an inch of rain. For Tucson, that means we are ahead of schedule.
As I mentioned in last week’s episode, over in California, there isn’t a square inch of the state that’s currently in drought. They’ve been having lots of rain over there! Their reservoirs are filling up!
California is a pretty happy place right now – meteteorologically speaking.
I have been hearing talk of a long-term forecast that looks positive. That weak La Niña pattern appears to be giving way to an El Niño pattern. And El Niño, let’s say that guy really likes to rain.
It would be nice to have a rainy summer, especially since last year we were promised one, but it didn’t materialize. But this just a forecast. Orr as a former boss liked to say, if it isn’t true, it’s a good rumor.
What am I going to do to get ready for the possibility of El Niño?
Well, I’m going to put the accent on that word possibility. I am going to plan my water harvesting life as if we’re still in a drought.
I’m not draining the cistern. I’m just using it to deep water my raised bed gardens and my raised bed miniature fig tree once a week. That’s all the plant life needs right now.
As mentioned previously, I temporarily closed my greywater irrigation system. I wanted to see how running water through the overflow line worked, and it worked like a charm.
So, I have reopened the emitters for my little pomegranate tree, the one that I planted a couple of years ago. It has three pomegranates on it – set those fruits last fall.
Even though it isn’t official fruiting season for pomegranates, I have to take care of it. So, I’ve been letting that tree get greywatered.
In my gardens, I’m growing greens – lettuce, garlic, and a few in-ground vegetables like carrots. I’m hoping to harvest those later in the spring.
What happens after spring with this anticipated El Niño?
Am I going to plant a late spring garden and go crazy with watering it? Probably not. I have found from past springs and early summers that watering those raised beds, my goodness, it really drains the cistern. So, I may just let those raised beds lay fallow.
The Fignomenal fig tree? In its own rasied bed? I’m going to keep watering it – because I want figs this summer!
I also have kind of like a trump card for my garden, a vertical planter made by a company called Greenstalk. Right now, I have quite a crop of tomatoes coming in. I’m also very shocked and amazed to find that this thing is growing okra – that’s a summer crop.
My attitude toward the garden vertical planter is, well, vertical planter, you can keep growing things whenever you see fit to do it. That includes the malabar spinach, another summer crop, and I need to harvest some this week.
I also have greens and lettuce to harvest – they are just absolutely going crazy right now. (See above photo.)
And you know what? It’s snack time! I’m going to pick some lettuce, wash it off, and enjoy a little snack.
As for that long-term forecast, I am going to treat it like, as my former boss said, a good rumor.
It’s not fact, it’s just speculation at this point. And I’m going to keep on being my water conserving, thrifty-with-the-water bill self.
If you’d like to learn more about water harvesting, sign up for my monthly email newsletter. If you do, I’ll give you a free copy of my Water Harvesting Cheat Sheet.
And if you’d like to support the Water Harvesting 101 podcast, the PayPal email address is info@westernskycommunications.com.
OUTRO: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Water Harvesting 101 podcast. If you’d like to learn more about water harvesting, meet my book family.
First, it’s City Nature, the book that’s guaranteed to look great on any coffee table. City Nature reveals my secrets to water harvesting through my 20-year journey of transforming my Tucson home into an urban oasis. Get the details at CityNatureBook.com.
And if you’re on the go, take water harvesting with you. Water Harvesting 101 is an audiobook and eBook combination that will teach you the nuts and bolts of water harvesting and show you how to put them to work. Available exclusively at WaterHarvesting101Book.com.