Why is Rainwater Harvesting a good thing?

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Why is Rainwater Harvesting a good thing?

• Reduced toxic runoff
• Reduced flooding and erosion
• Promotes Biodiversity
• Groundwater recharge is promoted
• You save money
• Less energy is consumed
• Less potable water is consumed
• Plants prefer rainwater ?

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Rain BarrelsHelping Rainwater go Slow

• Tia Gonzales
• Alabama Cooperative Extension System
• Water Quality Division
• Raincatchers

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Two Problems

• Water shortages
• Water pollution

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Water Shortages
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Water Pollution

• Many of our water pollution issues are due to
  stormwater.
• 
  
• The problem with stormwater is that it is TOO
  MUCH water, too fast.

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What is stormwater?

• Water that runs off impervious or water
  saturated surfaces and carries toxins, sediment
  and pathogens into nearby waterways
• Toxinsherbicides, insecticides, gas, oil
• Fertilizer, especially P
• Sediment
• Pathogens such as E.coli

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What is stormwater?

• Its too much, too fast and its nasty
• Full of oil, gas, poop, wasted fertilizer,
  herbicides, un-needed insecticides, dirt that
  lost its home
• Blows-out streams and causes flooding, erosion,
  property damage, habitat loss

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No Storm?

• Dont leave the sprinkler on too long
• Manage automatic sprinkler systems
  
• Dont wash your car in the driveway
• Stormdrains lead to the creek

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Which is it?

• Not enough water?
• Or too much water, too fast?

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Seattle King Center

• 1600 employees
• Rainwater harvesting meets gt60 of entire
  facilitys water needs
• Saves gt1.4 million gallons of drinking water per
  year
• Keeps runoff from
• entering storm sewers

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Why is Rainwater Harvesting a good thing?

• Reduced toxic runoff
• Reduced flooding and erosion
• Promotes Biodiversity
• Groundwater recharge is promoted
• You save money
• Less energy is consumed
• Less potable water is consumed
• Plants prefer rainwater ?

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Hidden energy cost of water
The estimated total current U.S. water-related
energy use to be at least 360 billion kWh per
year. (EPA Estimate)
Recognize the Hidden Energy Costs of Water
Transport and Treatment
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The Best Thing about Rainwater Harvesting

• Infiltration
• Infiltration
• Infiltration

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Slow Water

• Water needs a slow, intimate
• relationship
• with plants, soil and soil flora.

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Slow Water at Work

• 02. A landscape harvesting resources. Arrows
  denote water flow. See "Rainwater Harvesting for
  Drylands and Beyond, Volume 1" for more

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Water in a Hurry
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Slow it Down

• Dont let your Rainwater become Stormwater!
• Catch that Water
• Allow Infiltration

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How do I get started?

• A Rain Barrel is a great place to begin.
• Look at how water moves on your site and think of
  ways to slow your water downallowing maximum
  infiltration.
• Study Water Harvesting Principles
• Keep your soil community healthy

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How much rain can I catch?
During a one inch rainfall, you can collect .62
Gallons per Square Foot of Roof
A 1000 sq. ft. roof 620 gallons 2000 Sq. Ft.
1240 Gallons of Water Thats with just one inch
of Rain!
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A Lot of Water
From 2000 sq. ft roof
Alabama rain 52 inches per year 2000 sq. ft.
roof 64,480 gals per year Average August rain
3.04inches 3769 gals in August
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• Before you
• Build.
• Where will you
• put your first
• Rain Barrel?

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• Where do you need the water?
• Water from this pot
• is used twice.

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Where are the Downspouts?
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Where are the Downspouts?
Dont let any rainwater get away... make every
raindrop count
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Talk to me Baby
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An Impervious world

• Where does the water go?
• Where are the tomatoes?

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No Downspouts?

• Under the eaves is fine, just slower
• Roof Valleys are good sources
• AC Condensate

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Firm Level
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• Access for hose or watering can
• Firm and level?
• A full barrel weighs over 400 lbs.

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Keep gravity as your friend

• Water flows downhill.
  If your garden is higher than the
  rainbarrelyoull be disappointed
• Youre barrel will likely need to be on blocks
• Water finds its own level. Barrels
  connected in series should all be at the same
  height.

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Plan for Overflow

• You will have overflow
• Use it wisely
• Allow for maximum infiltration
• Away from your foundation

• Rain Gardens
• Planted Areas

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Gather tools Materials
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• 
  Impervious surfaces arent all Bad
• Start with a clean and dry barrel

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Recip saw
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• A jigsaw works too.
• A corner can be a helper

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Leave Rim Intact
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Drill a hole for the spigot

• Use a 15/16
• Screw in the hose bibb

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Screw in the hose bibb
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Remember Clean Dry?

• Or female pvc adapter

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The Overflow

• For under a gutter downspout or a roof valley

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Crimp and insert the sump hose
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Pull through from inside
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Your New Best Friend

• A piece of screen for the topand were ready to
  catch some rain!

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Your Barrel needs Sunscreen

• Sunlight breaks down plastic
• Use paint formulated for plastic. Or use a
  plastic primer followed by outdoor paint.
• Algae likes light
• Algae feeds the planet, but can smell bad.

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Mosquito Dunks

• Be sure that theyre Bacillus thuringeinsis
• NOT insecticide cakes

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Who are the Raincatchers?

• A network of organizations, academics,
  professionals, municipalities and concerned
  citizens
• Our goals are education and water quality
  protection
• Our tool is Rainwater Harvesting

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The Network

• Auburn University DepartmentsA-Z
• Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
• Master Gardeners
• Cities of Auburn Opelika
• Alabama Clean Water Partnership
• Soil and Water Conservation
• Concerned Citizens

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The Network

• North Carolina Cooperative Extension
• World Wildlife Fund
• Alabama Water Watch
• SWaMP
• Landscapers, Contractors, Landscape Architects,
  Artists, Plumbers, Musicians, Software Designers,
  Dancers, Mechanics, Attorneys, Candlestick
  Makers.

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We began in Auburn
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Rain Catcher Support

• Alabama Cooperative Extension System
• Alabama Clean Water Partnership
• World Wildlife Fund
• Coca Cola
• Legacy
• SWaMP

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Thanks Dr. Kyung Yoo

• Raincatcher Advisor
• Catcher of Big Rain
• Shown with another SWaMP Project

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Rain Catchers 2009

• Workshops in Auburn completed March, April, May,
  June, July
• Check our website for future dates

http//www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers.htm
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Alabama Clean Water Partnership

• Workshops in Montgomery
• Ashley Henderson
• Cleanwaterpartnership.org

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Future Plans

• More workshops in Auburn Montgomery
• Expanded workshop topics
• A Rain Barrel Manual
• Trainer of trainer workshops Statewide

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Time for Show Tell
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Todays Show Tellers

• Natures Tap
• City of Auburn
• Auburn University Water Resources Center
• Alabama Clean Water Partnership
• Alabama Cooperative Extension System
• AU Agronomy Department,
• Thanks for the truck!

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Raincatchers http//www.aces.edu/waterquality/rain
catchers.htm Alabama Clean Water
Partnership Cleanwaterpartnership.org
Tia Gonzales Gonzats_at_auburn.edu