Here in Tucson, we haven’t had measurable rainfall in more than a month.
So, I’m calling it. We’re in the dry season.
In this podcast, I’ll be covering the dry season to-do list for water harvesters.
My focus will be on the three activities of water harvesting: Redirecting rainwater away from where it isn’t wanted to where it is; storing rainwater for later use, for example, during a drought; and recycling “used” water.
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: I just checked my rain gauge records and I’m calling it.
Haven’t had any measurable rain here since March 10th. That was more than a month ago, so…
It’s officially the dry season.
As water harvesters, what do we do during the dry season? Let’s answer this question by looking at the three activities of water harvesting.
Number one, redirecting rainfall away from where you don’t want it to where you do. Since it’s not raining, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do this.
Let’s say you don’t have the passive water harvesting earthworks set up. Swales, basins and berms – now is a very good time to build them.
And word to the wise, this involves digging. Before you dig any holes, please call 811.
Know what’s below before you start digging. You don’t want to hit underground lines like gas lines or electric lines. So, be safe.
At this time of the year, digging holes can feel like you’re digging into concrete. You could soak the ground for days on end, but…
We try to be pretty frugal with the water around here.
So instead of doing that, I would recommend using a jackhammer. You know, one of those things that goes Brrrrrrrrr!
Instead of using the pointed bit that workers use when they’re busting up the street, you want to use a different bit called a paddle bit.
Another pro tip for using a jackhammer: Don’t wrestle the tool around. Guide it to where you want it to dig. Turn it on. Brrrrrrrrr!
And then when you’re done, move it to another location. Repeat the process. Turn it on. Brrrrrrrrr!
If what I just said seems a bit too intimidating, maybe outside your skill set, hire somebody who has jackhammer skills.
Let’s look at activity number two. That would be storing rainwater for later use.
If you don’t have a cistern and you’d like to add a cistern to your collection of water harvesting tools, this is a very good time to have the rain gutters, the plumbing, and the cistern installed.
Now, one of the things you’re probably not going to see is a spring cistern sale. I have never seen cisterns going on sale.
But it’s a good time to get everything set up in place so that when the rains do return, you’re ready.
And then there’s the third activity of water harvesting, recycling used water. This one’s like the Swiss Army knife of water harvesting. You can do it year ’round.
Matter of fact, I’ve already done it today. Right after I had breakfast, I had to wash the dishes, I used that water-harvesting-friendly soap called Oasis, and I had a bucket of soapy water left over.
Instead of throwing that bucket of water down the drain, I took it out to the front yard and gave the Arizona rosewood shrub a drink.
Since there was some soap left over in this bucket after I threw it on the plant, I know what, I’m going to rinse that out, and I’m going to put the rinse water on the plant. I’ve got one happy rosewood out there!
As for the long-term forecast, it’s looking like it could be a good El Niño summer, but I’m treating that like a good rumor. I don’t take these forecasts for granted and make plans based on something that may happen three months from now.
That includes activities like planning the garden. I just looked at my planting calendar guide and some of the things I’ve been jonesing to plant, I can wait until July. I may very well do that.
Right now my garden consists of three fruit trees, which get irrigated by recycling used water. That is, they get the laundry water.
I also have a dwarf fig tree in a planter. That one gets watering cans that I fill from the cistern.
In addition, I have a vertical planter that I take showers for. I put a bucket beneath the tub spout, mix that shower water up just right, take my shower, and then I take my bucket out to the vertical planter and water it.
I’m doing this two or three times a week now because it’s so dry. And the plants are growing. Matter of fact, note to self, I need to harvest some of the Malabar spinach that’s growing in the vertical planter.
And that’s going to do it for this week’s episode, the dry season episode of the Water Harvesting 101 podcast.
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.
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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.