Resources
Resources for water conservation
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Leave It Better WM
A partnership between Navajo County, the City of Show Low, the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside, the American Ground Water Trust and Arizona Water Company.
🌍 Help to Keep Our Environment Healthy with Passive Rainwater Harvesting! 💧🌱![]()
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Did you know that passive rainwater harvesting doesn't just help your landscape, but also benefits the environment we live in? 🌲 🍃 ![]()
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🌧️ Why It Matters for the Environment:![]()
Rainwater harvesting is considered green infrastructure by the EPA because it keeps rainwater on-site instead of letting it run into storm drains. The EPA estimates that 30% of water pollution comes from stormwater that picks up contaminants as it flows to retention basins, rivers, and lakes. Therefore, by keeping rainwater in your landscape, you’re helping to reduce water pollution! 🚫 💨 ![]()
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💧 Every drop you harvest and absorb is a step toward a healthier environment!
💡 Why is soil drainage important to passive rainwater harvesting? 🌧️ ![]()
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❗Before setting up a passive rainwater harvesting system, it’s essential to test your soil’s drainage! Why? In passive rain water harvesting, your soil is the storage medium for rain. Poor drainage can lead to long-standing water, plant stress, and insect breeding. 🦟🚫![]()
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🔍 How to Do a Soil Drainage Test:![]()
1️⃣ Dig a circular hole – about 1 foot deep and 1 foot wide.![]()
2️⃣ Fill the hole with water – If it drains quickly, keep filling it until it stays full for a short time.![]()
3️⃣ Wait 12 hours, then fill it again.![]()
4️⃣ The water should drain within 2-3 hours. If it takes longer, your soil doesn’t drain well and may need amendments or a different harvesting approach.![]()
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By understanding your soil’s drainage, you can design a more effective rainwater harvesting system that stores water efficiently without pooling or excess runoff! 🌍💙
✨Organic Mulch💧![]()
Did you know that mulch is more than just a decorative ground cover? It’s also a powerful tool for passive rainwater harvesting! 🌿![]()
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🔹 What is Organic Mulch? It’s a layer of natural materials like wood chips, bark, or leaves spread over the soil to help retain moisture and improve water absorption. 💦 ![]()
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🔹 How does it help? Putting a layer of mulch into the bottoms of basins can act like a sponge, as it can help to slow water runoff and give rainwater more time to soak into the soil. 🧽 ![]()
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🔹 Bonus Benefits! As mulch breaks down, it improves soil structure, adds valuable nutrients, and increases soil’s ability to hold water! 🌱 ![]()
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By using organic mulch in basins, garden beds, and around plants, you can conserve water, reduce evaporation, and create healthier soil—all without extra infrastructure!
✨Infiltration Basins💧 ![]()
Infiltration basins are a key passive rainwater harvesting technique that allows large amounts of water to soak into the ground instead of running off and becoming water waste.![]()
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🔹 Infiltration basins are wide, flat depressions designed to capture rainwater or stormwater runoff. They are highly effective at maximizing rainwater absorption. This slow absorption helps to replenish and recharge groundwater supplies. 🌊 ![]()
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🔹 By adding vegetation within the basin, this can filter various pollutants, stabilize soil, and support plant growth. 🌲 🌱
✨Swales💧![]()
Ever heard of swales? These shallow trenches are a natural and effective way to slow down, spread across, and direct water across your landscape instead of letting it run off too quickly or stay in one spot.![]()
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🔹 Unlike basins that hold water in one spot, swales are meant to help guide water to new locations throughout the landscape. 🏞️ ![]()
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🔹 Often, swales are dug along contour lines within the landscape. This helps to prevent erosion and maximize water absorption for groundwater systems and plants.🌿 ![]()
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🔹 Swales can not only help to benefit the health of plants, but can also keep water from flooding in unwanted areas of your yard or garden. They create a pathway for water to travel to where it is needed more. 👍
Arizona Water Company
American Groundwater Trust
Email: [email protected]
Website: agwt.org
Town of Pinetop - Lakeside
Navajo County
City of Show Low
