Slow it, Spread it, Sink it!
"We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one."
Today we find sea levels rising, aquifers being depleted, snowpacks shrinking, and water supplies dwindling. We seem to be increasingly oscillating between periods of intense rain and drought. Many areas have been identified as places where surface and groundwater supplies won't be able to meet future demands. If only there were ways to harvest rainwater and save it for drier times or to make the ground better able to absorb the water when we get it...
Luckily, there are!
Traditional building and landscaping practices were designed to dispose of stormwater as quickly as possible. We now know this results in significant damage to land, structures, and our surrounding environment. Instead of rainwater disposal, we're advocates of the “slow it, sink it, spread it” approach.
- SLOW IT: Use land forms, berms, boulders, etc, to slow down rushing runoff
- SPREAD IT: Reduce runoff volumes by distributing stormwater across gravel, swales, or permeable pavement
- SINK IT: Increase retention of water by sinking it into the ground with thick mulch beds, earth basins, and more
