Techniques for catching and saving rain: homeowners

Source: LA Times, Debra Prinzing
January 17, 2008

Here are some rain-management techniques and resources suggested by landscape designer Peter Jensen and other designers:

Use a rain chain. In place of a regular downspout, hang a rain chain. It is a simple and attractive device for slowing rain that sheds from a gutter at the edge of your roof. You can find rain chains in copper, brass, aluminum and iron materials. A rock or gravel-filled hole at the base encourages water to seep slowly into the earth and can also be connected to an infiltration pit.

Add a rain barrel. With a typical capacity of 50 to 80 gallons and made from recycled plastic, a rain barrel collects precipitation for use during dry spells. Maximize the benefits by placing one at the base of each downspout. Some designs have spigots for filling a watering can; others have an on-off hose attachment.

Consider a cistern. Fabricated from reinforced concrete, galvanized steel or recycled plastic, cisterns can have a capacity of a few hundred to more than 1,000 gallons. They can be submerged or built above-ground using similar water-dispensing methods as a rain barrel. Cisterns traditionally have been used by farmers and ranchers. There is, however, increasing interest in residential applications, according to David O'Donnell, a project associate at TreePeople, a local nonprofit environmental group. A general rule to determine cistern size is that 1 inch of rainfall landing on a 1,000-square-foot roof yields about 600 gallons of water.

Install an infiltration system. Unlike rain barrels or cisterns, infiltration systems are designed to capture and filter precipitation before it soaks into the ground. Usually designed as an in-ground pit lined with landscaping cloth and filled with variously sized rocks, such a system prevents rainwater from spilling into streets and drainage systems.

Sculpt your garden with swales and berms. This technique is especially useful to change the topography of flat lots. To slow water's race off of your property and to filter pollutants, build 18- to 24-inch-tall "islands" or rows of mounded soil, and then add ornamental plants. Select drought-tolerant or native varieties to save more water.

Spread mulch. "Mulch is a very effective way to reduce runoff and keep water on the property," O'Donnell says. A few inches of organic mulch, such as finely shredded bark, organic compost, shredded leaves or gravel, will slow evaporation of moisture in the plants' root area. Mulch shades and cools the soil, in addition to slowing water runoff and suppressing weeds. It also enriches plants, building healthy soil as it slowly decomposes.

Irrigate sensibly. Low-water drip systems apply water directly to the soil through tiny outlets called emitters or through microsprays plugged into flexible tubing laid on the ground and covered with mulch.