November 20, 2002

Water abundance at the Skywater Center

I had the privilege to spend two weeks in June visiting the Skywater Center near Alderpoint, California, while studying Permaculture, a method for designing human habitations that manage natural resources for abundance while mimicking ecological systems.

The Center acquired its name due to its abundance of rainfall, between 60 and 120 inches in the winter months. This amount of rainfall is very similar to the Mattole.

When the Permaculture Institute of Northern California bought the property six years ago, there was very little perennial water, only two small, low-flowing springs, and a number of erosion issues. Since that time, directors Penny Livingston-Stark and James Stark have developed the water on site using the concepts of Permaculture. Techniques included rainwater storage ponds, groundwater recharge ponds, “swales,”(a swale is a ditch dug on contour) and drainage ditches used to divert water away from saturated areas that have a high risk of slumping or landsliding, and directing it into groundwater recharge ponds.

Swales (see diagram) can be dug by hand or machinery, though the scale is different depending on which route you choose. The most important aspect of swales is that they are dug on contour. Their main function is to slow water on a slope, and allow infiltration. Fruit trees or other useful plants can be planted on the downhill side to utilize the seeping water throughout the dry season, and also slow the evaporation of standing water by providing shade.

Gabions (see diagram) are mini dams that are usually placed in scoured and barren channels for the purpose of slowing water while allowing sediment to settle out. A stair-step pattern is created allowing water to walk rather than rush through the channel. Once silt has settled into the stripped channel, willow or alder as well as other riparian species can be planted to allow revegetation and channel stabilization.

The rainwater storage pond contains 400,000 gallons of water when full, and can be used for agricultural purposes, as well as human consumption with filtration. The pond was excavated by a local heavy equipment operator in a short amount of time. The catch basins contain significantly less water, but serve the function of slowing water on the slope, and giving it the chance to seep into the ground throughout the dry season. For more information, visit the website http://www.permacultureinstitute.com/skywater.html, or call (415) 663-9090.

Whoa! Paragraphs three and four contain a lot of useful ideas about how to increase on-site water and storage ideas, but they must be explained/demonstrated rather than simply enumerated. I would select two or three of the most applicable techniques, explain their construction and how they work in more detail. It would be great to have a diagram of one or two of these techniques. It might be good to conclude the article by pointing out how these techniques are applicable in the Mattole as the site is similar in rainfall conditions to the Mattole.



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Read more articles about Water Conservation

Table of Contents for Mattole Restoration Newsletter, Issue 19 - Winter/Spring 2002-03