permaculture forums

organic homesteading - natural living

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
November 20, 2008, 02:01:14 PM

Permaculture Forums | substance | permaculture | Topic: mini water retention pond/wetland under construction

« previous next »

Pages: [1]

Author

mini water retention pond/wetland under construction

(Read 149 times)

Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 593

July 12, 2008, 06:52:26 AM

To see how my project came about see this thread
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/684_0/permaculture/swales-permaculture-living-fence-vid

instead of just trying to direct the water around I hope to attract lots of frogs and grow some moisture loving plants as well turn a muddy irritating, unhealthy eyesore into an aesthetically pleasing area. I got started yesterday and this is how far I made it. Blackjack, my Lamancha buckling thinks It is a toy just for him. He and my boer buckling have been playing king of the rocks.


	Logged

Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford

Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 593

July 13, 2008, 07:08:48 AM

well, as of this morning it looks like it needs to be a teeny bit bigger


	Logged

Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford

paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1338

July 13, 2008, 05:39:58 PM

So there is lots of clay under those rocks?


	Logged

Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 593

July 14, 2008, 06:54:39 AM

I mixed in the rest of my informal compost pile to form the berm. I want it to drain, just drain slowly. so no, I didn't line it with the heavy clay stuff I dug out. I am not sure at this point wether the rocks will be enough to prevent erosion of the high side wall. I suspect I may have to remove them and place some sort of weed barrier or liner just on the steep part to prevent erosion. After this rain fall I will evaluate the erosion factor, make it bigger and deeper and tweak the grade around it to better direct the water into it.


	Logged

Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford

paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1338

July 14, 2008, 07:23:41 AM

I get it. A bit like swales. Keep the soil on the land.


	Logged

kelda
Posts: 263

August 06, 2008, 10:34:20 PM

If you're looking for plant ideas, there's an awesome appendix in this book/pdf about raingarden building. It lists plants according to water they can handle and other factors.
http://www.pierce.wsu.edu/Water_Quality/LID/Raingarden_handbook.pdf
It's not a permaculture look at the plants per se, but we can add our own knowledge about edibles, etc. easily to their list.


	Logged

Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 593

August 07, 2008, 05:07:47 AM

Thanks kelda! It is working well. When it rains I no longer see washed out "water tracks" going in front of my shed (that were slowly taking my land with it) and the water from the aerobic system and run the rain runoff takes a direct route to the "pond". The water doesn't turn the whole area into mush anymore. It has a bit of water in it every morning from the aerobic system and I think it is ready to plant with some marsh type vegetation. Your post was perfect timing.

This may be totally unrelated to its construction but there are hundreds of dragonflies zooming around now! Its neat to just sit outside and watch them. Probably coincidence.


	Logged

Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford

Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 593

September 04, 2008, 05:59:42 AM

I have cattails! hoping to get a small edible stand (if the goats don't think so too!) I have tossed in some hyacinth to try and shade the water quickly. I am looking into arrowhead which is also edible.


	Logged

Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford

Pages: [1]

Permaculture Forums \| substance \| permaculture \| Topic: mini water retention pond/wetland under construction	« previous next »

Jump to:

[richsoil.com home] [lawn care]

[flea control] [cast iron]