Rainwater Harvesting

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS… AND IT’S FREE

We do get rain! Even our average 8-inches of rain a year can collect more than 7,000 gallons of water around our homes.

Have you ever noticed how plants appear greener and brighter after a good rain? It’s not just because the dust and dirt get washed off. Rainwater is a clean, salt-free source of water that contains many beneficial ingredients for plants. You may not think we get enough rain here to bother, but the rooftop of a typical home can collect more than 400 gallons from ½-inch of rain, making water harvesting well worth the effort.

WHERE TO START: Rainwater harvesting can be as simple as directing runoff to basins around your plants or collecting it in a rain barrel, or more complex systems may include gutters, storage tanks, pumps, and a delivery system.

Permeable pavers cause less runoff of water and basins or swales collect and spread rain in your landscape until it can soak in. Project designed and installed by Watershed Management Group through community workshops. Photo: Ryan Wood, Watershed Management Group

TIPS: Mimic nature by creating a desert wash in the landscape that holds and distributes the water to the planted areas (not the street). In other areas of your landscape, use paving materials that allow water to soak into the ground below. Do not use plastic sheeting under granite or rock. Add mulch and/or low-water-use plants in strategic areas to help your soil absorb water.

BENEFITS: Keeping rainwater on your property reduces the amount of pollutants (such as pesticides, or fertilizers) from flowing into storm drains and eventually into our waterways or rivers. Of course, you’ll also reduce your outdoor watering and save on your water bill.

LOOK FOR CURB CUTS INTO STREET LANDSCAPES. More and more communities are adopting water harvesting into street landscapes with a technique called Low Impact Development!

RAINWATER HARVESTING RESOURCES

• Find more tips in this article on Harvesting Rainwater for the Landscape
• Check out Harvesting Rainwater: A Guide to Water-Efficient Landscaping from Tucson Water
• A local nonprofit, Watershed Management Group, teaches about rainwater harvesting with hands-on workshops.
• Visit local gardens that feature demonstration sites for rainwater harvesting.
  • Glendale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden
  • Mesa Urban Garden
• Look for books by Tucson author and rainwater harvesting guru, Brad Lancaster.
• Find University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Publications:
  • Harvesting Rainwater for Landscape Use
  • Using Rainwater in Urban Landscapes: Quick Guide for Maricopa County
  • Rainscapes: The Ultimate in Water Efficient Landscaping
  • Passive Water Harvesting – Rainwater Collection
  • Basic Components of a Rainwater Storage System
  • When It Rains It Runs Off: Runoff and Urbanized Areas in Arizona
• There’s more on Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development for communities in the Low Impact Development Toolkit.

FIND MORE FUN AND HELPFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WATER HARVESTING FROM OUR PAST WATER – USE IT WISELY BLOGS: 

Gutters or rain chains can help to direct water into a rain barrel or the landscape.

Curb cuts along city streets allow water sheeting off roads to soak into landscapes carrying fewer pollutants to our waterways.

• Top 5 Reasons to Collect Rainwater for Your Landscape
• Learn About Rainwater Harvesting for Your Landscape
• Rainwater as a Solution to Water-Wise Gardens and Landscapes
• Rainwater Garden Wins 2014 “CATCH THE RAIN” Photo Contest
• The Edible Gardening Series: Did Thy Garden Runneth Over (With Rain)?

Photos by Donna DiFrancesco unless otherwise indicated.