Gardens of stone

How to manage the rain when it arrives

by lIsa Cullen

Now that winter is here and we are getting some of the wet stuff from the sky, it’s time to re-think where all that water is going.

A common impulse when it rains is to try to get all that water off your property. Rain pours down from the sky and goes into downspouts, goes into drains, outlets on the street, into storm drains and then the ocean. This practice not only contributes to pollution but also depletes our precious water supply. This doesn’t seem right, especially when we are mid one of the worse droughts on record. Why allow our precious resource, water, to literally go down the drain?

The survival of our trees depends on water beneath the surface. When our massive friends send roots deep into the water table and come up empty surface water will not save them. We have all been watching some of Santa Barbara’s most cherished trees, our old friends, dying from lack of moisture. Gratefully, something CAN be done about it here are some simple ways to capture water:

Water that runs off into the ocean doesn’t do anything for the future of our water supply. Long-term survival depends on recharging the water table and in order to accomplish that, we need to prevent run off rather than encouraging it. This may be an alien concept to some, but it is a vital part of a sustainable water system.

If we are to recover from drought, we need to capture rainwater, inhibiting it from running off, allowing it to permeate the soil and thus recharging the water table.

1. Permeable surfaces are a good starting point. By this we mean, driveways, walkways and patios that allow water to permeate instead of running off. Without getting into the boring science of it all, think of all the oil, gas and other toxic substances that wash into the street (and thus the ocean) when run-off occurs. Not good.

2. Instead, imagine a babbling brook, the crunch of gravel under your feet, your footsteps falling softly on forest floor, these permeable surfaces lend both aesthetics and a sense of natural wonder.

Crushed stone, decomposed granite, gravel, faux creek beds, pavers and other porous surfaces create layers of material through which the water must travel. This process actually removes oil and toxins before the water reaches the water table. It’s nature’s cleaning service. mulched pathways and sitting areas are another very inexpensive and viable permeable surface. In face if you ensure that every inch of your property is covered with deep mulch, rain will more likely permeate and be less likely to run off. In the process, you’ll bring life to your soil.

3. Grading the earth to slow down and prevent runoff is another part of the equation. of course the first thing is to get water to drain away from your house. once that is accomplished watch where the water goes and figure out how to slow it down faux creek beds, meandering paths, berms and swales and other devices slow running water and capture it so that it stays on your property, thus creating a reserve beneath the surface.

4. Connect rain barrels and/or flexible perforated drainpipes to your down spouts to divert water to your garden instead of the street. These systems can be as simple as a flexible perforated pipe attached to downspouts allowing water to seep gently into your garden.

These are just a few ways to take advantage of our winter rain. The City of Santa Barbara has loads more information on their website http://www.santabarbaraca.gov (search for rain water harvesting).

Lisa Cullen, landscape designer and organic gardener owns Montecito Landscape with her husband, Chris. She can be reached at 805.969.3984 or www.montecitolandscape.com.