Water Management during Drought Periods

This swale collects water from the
adjoining permiable driveway through a side
drain when it rains keeping it from flowing
into the street and a nearby lake, and allows
it to sink into the soil for long term storage.  

We’ve been experiencing a prolonged drought in north Florida for the past several months, and no end in sight. Watering gardens, lawns and landscapes regularly is expensive and environmentally unsound. So how do we manage water on our property and in our gardens?

In our hilly area, an effective way to store water is to slow it down and sink it into the soil to be accessed when rainfall is not adequate   Slowing it down involves creating shallow swales or low barriers to stop rainfall or irrigation runoff and allow the water to be absorbed.  A swale across the contour of the property will slow down water, prevent erosion, and accumulate organic matter, which will help the water sink into the soil. A log, a low wall or some other elevated landscape feature will operate in the same way. 

The key to water absorption is organic matter. Even without altering the landscape, increasing organic matter in your soil will increase its water holding capacity.  According to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, a 1% increase in soil organic matter will help soils hold up to 20,000 gallons more water per acre.  This sounds easy, but it will take significant amounts of organic matter for a 1% increase.  

Pine straw mulch in garden beds
and free shredded wood mulch 
around the beds   

Good landscape practices to build soil will accomplish this over a period of time. A significant first step, and something that can be done immediately to help alleviate the drought, is the application of mulch to all exposed soil. This will not only add organic matter as it decomposes, but will reduce evaporation, allowing moisture to remain in the soil to nourish plants.  

Water deeply before laying mulch.   Add an optional layer of cardboard to help retain moisture and suppress weeds, and water again.  Lay mulch three to six inches deep and water deeply again for a good start in moisture retention.

Other beneficial landscape practices:

• Leave the leaves when they fall, either in place or as mulch in adjoining beds. 
• Leave grass clippings on the soil. This will reduce the need for fertilizer and build organic matter in your lawn. 
• Leave plant residue from annuals and perennials on the soil.  Cover it with mulch and let it decompose. 
• Don’t disturb the soil; tilling reduces the soil’s water retention capacity.
• Utilize free wood chips, leaves, and pine straw to cover the soil wherever possible. 
• Where appropriate, grow cover crops, chop them before they make seeds and allow them to decompose. 
• An emerging practice is the addition of biochar to the soil.  Its porous texture helps with water storage and provides habitat for beneficial microorganisms.

All of these practices have multiple benefits, not just for storing water, but for stopping erosion, reducing evaporation, discouraging weeds, regulating soil temperature, providing habitat for beneficial insects and organisms, increasing fertility, and keeping your plants happy.

More info:  https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS661

https://permacultureapprentice.com/permaculture-water-management/