Harvesting Rainwater
Ranked #14,475 in Healthy Living, #227,032 overall
The Path to Water Abundance
Rainwater is a precious resource. Yet many buildings and properties are designed to remove water as quickly as possible. It's time to change our thinking to welcome rainwater and become stewards for water.
We drain rivers, streams and groundwater to meet our growing demand for water. It's time to shift that pattern to reducing our consumption and living within local water supply needs.
It's time to take the next bold step and go beyond sustainability and begin to regenerate our ecosystems. We can do this by becoming stewards of water, learning about rainwater catchment and starting to replenish our groundwater.
We drain rivers, streams and groundwater to meet our growing demand for water. It's time to shift that pattern to reducing our consumption and living within local water supply needs.
It's time to take the next bold step and go beyond sustainability and begin to regenerate our ecosystems. We can do this by becoming stewards of water, learning about rainwater catchment and starting to replenish our groundwater.
Rainwater Is...
... the primary source* of fresh water in our hydrologic cycle. This water also feeds rivers, lakes and groundwater.
... one of the purest sources of water.
... the best water for plants.
... great for washing hair and washing clothes in.
... free.
* including other forms of precipitation such as snow
... one of the purest sources of water.
... the best water for plants.
... great for washing hair and washing clothes in.
... free.
* including other forms of precipitation such as snow
Rainwater Resource Books
DIY Rain Barrel
Youtube has lots videos on how to make rain barrels. A quick query will give you about a dozen helpful videos on do-it-yourself rain barrels. You can look on Craigslist for food-grade plastic barrels.
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Rain Barrels
Water Resources
- H2ouse: Water Saver Home
- To live within our local water availability, an important step is conserving our water. This site has lots of valuable tips on how to reduce your water consumption at home.
- Harvest H2O
- An on-line rainwater harvesting community dedicated to sharing resources as well as supporting changing codes to make water catchment more available.
- Brad Lancaster Videos
- Brad Lancaster shows simple and effective ways of using rainwater to convert a barren southwest lot into a bountiful one.
- Rain Calculator
- Here's a quick little program to roughly calculate how much water you can catch off your roof.
- Western States Water Supply Outlook
- Check to see precipitation, snow cover and water supplies in reservoirs in the Western US.
How to Calculate Roof Runoff
Determine the square footage of your roof. You can do this by measuring the length and width of your house in feet and multiplying the numbers.
Roof (sq. ft) x rainfall (ft) x 7.48 gal/cu. ft = TOTAL RAINWATER (gal)
You can also use the rainwater calculator in the "Water Resources Module."
Note: The rainfall is in feet. So if it rains 18 in, put in 1.5 feet.
Roof (sq. ft) x rainfall (ft) x 7.48 gal/cu. ft = TOTAL RAINWATER (gal)
You can also use the rainwater calculator in the "Water Resources Module."
Note: The rainfall is in feet. So if it rains 18 in, put in 1.5 feet.
How to Make a Rain Barrel
This video by Penn State extension clearly explains how to make a rain barrel.
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Rainwater Harvesting in India
A sweet public service ad from India about the value of rainwater harvesting
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Projects for Kids
Get your kids excited about the rain by having them build rain gauges, learn about clouds and track weather.
- Rain Gauge
- Here are some simple directions on building a rain gauge. If you want, you can also write directly on the container eliminating the need for tape.
- Disney's Charting Weather Site
- Teach your kids to build a weather station including a rain gauge, wind vane and barometer. Have them track their observations to learn about the weather.
- YouTube video by Brad Lancaster
- This video by rainwater harvester extraordinaire Brad Lancaster explains the importance of different water catchment systems in an easy to follow way that is perfect for both adults and kids.
Harvesting Water in Swales
Geoff Lawton, the Director of the Permaculture Research Institute, is an expert in creating earthworks to capture water in the soil. Sloped properties can have swales, an earthen structure, built on the contour of the land to capture rainwater.
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Reader Feedback
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EmmaCooper Oct 20, 2010 @ 2:30 am | delete
- A useful lens on an important topic :)
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AppalachianCountry
Jun 1, 2009 @ 1:37 pm | delete
- Great lens. We have done this since we were children. It's a good thing. Thank-you.
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by Rebecca_Newburn
Ms. Rebecca Newburn has been a math and science educator for 17 years. She is interested in supporting Millennials, the New Generation, by creating resources... more »
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