Harvesting the Rain

Rain Barrel

Even during drought rain showers occasionally bestow life sustaining water to parched landscapes and gardens. But not all the rain that falls from these fleeting showers soaks into the soil. For example, most of the water that falls upon our roofs is diverted to stormwater drains or ditches and carried away before it can permeate the ground. Instead of letting it float away, why not capture this precious resource and store it to water plants during drier times? Rain water harvesting systems, which include simple rain barrels as well as more complex cisterns, allow gardeners to do just that.   

Rainwater harvesting has been practiced for hundreds of years and still serves as a primary source of water for homes in some parts of the world. In the United States rainwater is primarily harvested for non drinking water use, such as irrigation. Large systems can capture and store thousands of gallons of rainwater and pump it back out to water lawns and garden beds. Even a single rain barrel can store 65 gallons or more. Using harvested rainwater to water your yard will save money on your water bill, conserve municipal water sources for more vital purposes, and reduce the damaging effects of stormwater runoff in your community. 

Learn more! Read the rest of the story on the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+140.


To find out more about cisterns and rainwater harvesting, visit the NC Extension Rainwater Harvesting website, http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/waterharvesting/, or download a copy of the publication “Rainwater Harvesting: Guidance for homeowners” here: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/PublicationFiles/WaterHarvestHome2008.pdf.

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