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Basic Installation
Water is the life-blood of our bodies, our economy, our nation and our well being.
- Stephen Johnson, EPA Administrator
Reduces run-off, erosion, and contamination of surface water
Reduces demand on the existing water supply Increases awareness of water use – leading to
higher efficiency Free of salts and other minerals that harm root growth
& plumbing in homes Increased plant growth due to presence of Nitrogen
gathered from the atmosphere Near neutral pH Been known to improve pesticide performance
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35Rainfall (in)
Rainfall (in)
Measure the foot print of the collection area:
IE. Square footage of your bottom floor
Potential Rainfall calculation:Sq ft collection area x Rainfall (in) x .623
Example: 1,000 sq ft x 1 in x .623 = 623 gallons of rainwater
Rainfall in AmarilloYearly Average: 19.71 in
2010–26.54in 2013- 15.20 in2011- 7.00 in 2014- 19.61 in2012- 12.33in 2015- 30.2 in
Based on these Numbers a 1,000 sq ft catchment areain Amarillo could have caught:
2010 - 16,534 gallons 2013 - 9,469 gallons2011- 4,361 gallons 2014 – 12,217 gallons 2012- 7,681 gallons 2015- 18,814 gallons
Landscaping According to the American Water Works Association,
54% of residential water use is used outdoors for landscaping.
Amarillo: Average of 95 gallons per person per day Basic Filtration for large particles
In-Home Use According to the American Water Works Association,
46% of residential water use is used in the home (Amarillo: 80.5 gal/person/day)
Wildlife In our area either of these two systems can provide 1 drop/sec -24hours/day -365 days per year
Livestock & Domestic Animals
Fire Protection – Requirement in some communities
McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, TX. Uses
rainwater runoff for fire protection.
Metal is Best No to Wood because of Tannins Other Materials absorb varying amounts of water,
decreasing collection efficiency
When Hanging Gutters make sure the back edge of the gutter is secured underneath the drip edge of the roof
Cut downspout to size with metal snips or remove downspout and add flexible downspout or rain chain Edges are sharp!!!
Gutter Inserts 1st Flush - 1 gal/100 sq ft Vortex Filters It is cheaper to filter water
before it enters the tank than it is to try and clean it up afterwards
Simple is Best!
Wet Conveyance Dry Conveyance
Tanks Barrels Cisterns Underground Systems Recycled Materials
EPA cleaning guidelines Tanks need solid base
Water weighs 8 lbs/gallon In the shade if possible
Tanks need to be opaque
MUST be the same size or bigger than your inlet
Gravity flow is easiest Will run drip lines and Soaker hoses
Emergency – Use camping filter Tank – Potable Sterilization
Chlorine UV
How do they work? Use chemical, biological, and physical properties of
soils, plants, and microbes to remove pollutants from storm water Settling Chemical reactions in the soil Plant Uptake Biological degradation in root zones
Keep the water on the garden to increase absorption
Select a site No closer than 10 ft to a building to prevent foundation
issues Call 811 BEFORE you dig Not over septic tanks or leach fields Check for tree roots and that existing landscape can
handle extra water Watch were water naturally wants to go
Overflow will need to run away from building Make sure that all water flow is controlled
4 inch difference between overflow and all other edges of Rain garden
May need to Burm edges
Define edges of garden w/Non Toxic Paint Dig
Depth is up to you! - 6-8 inches deep is advised Make sure slope of edges is not so steep that if someone feel
in they could not get out. If drainage is poor = add compost & lessen depth
A thick layer of gravel at the bottom will help also
Fill with mulch = reduce evaporation and mosquitoes!
The Idea is to create a Living Sponge of soil, plants, root mass, and mulch, not to create a
permanent bog.
