Harvesting rainwater is on our “Top-Priority” to do list. We have only one small structure–a shed–on the property at the moment but we wince every time it rains because we are losing that water.
We had to get new gutters on our current home (yep, the one that’s for sale) so we’ve saved the old ones to recycle onto our shed in the next few weeks. Combining that with a barrel (or two), we should be in business.
In preparation of this, I checked out Brad Lancaster’s book, Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands. I didn’t realize when I got the book that it’s volume 1 of 3, which is ok except that my library doesn’t have volumes 2 and 3.
Volume 1 is a general overview of rainwater harvesting, both in the soil and in catchment-type facilities (such as cisterns or barrels). But in addition to a (very) generalized discussion of these things, the book includes information on plants for a dry environment and home placement for the best heating and cooling.
The book is just a good overview to start you thinking about ways in which you can conserve and capture water.
Lancaster promises details in Volumes 2 and 3. I found volume 2 on Amazon but will try and interlibrary loan it first. The catch comes with volume 3 (on cisterns–and the one I’m most interested in). The first book leads one to believe that volumes 2 and 3 are readily available. I’ve even seen reference to a 2006 publication date for volume 3 but the current publisher’s website says volume 3 won’t be out until late 2012. I’m not sure what’s going on with that. And now that I’ve read volume 1, I’m really ready to get my hands on volume 3!
Anyway, there’s some great information in Volume 1 and I’ll be copying quite a few charts and graphs and making notes on how to best construct rain barrels for holding and distributing water. I’m a novice at this so some of you old-hands will find the information at the most rudimentary level but for the beginner, it’s a great place to start.
And let me know if you know anything about volume 3.
