Water Security:

what can be more important?

Global picture: deforestation>desertification
(clic the link, 3 min)

•Forest Keep Drylands Working, John Liu

https://youtu.be/LBpxScOPuj8
 Barrio San Jose diagnostic:
this hillside was fully forested just 20 years ago. All too typical, all around the world.
The outlined zone empties into the San Jose creek in one place, with no water conservation intervention. At the arrow, the erosion
problems begin. Sinking wáter into the land at the higher levels of the watershed will provide wáter and fertility for increased
production AND prevent erosion and flooding at the lower levels.
The
water
cycle.
How the
water cycle is
interrupted:
• Of the rain that
returns to the
clouds, nearly 75%
is returned via tree
leaves in the form
of transpiration or
evaporation. Source:
Permaculture Handbook, Bill
Mollison
Cloud
formation
from trees
relative to sea
•As clouds move
inland, more of
the moisture in
clouds comes
from trees.
•Only 26% of
precipitation
returns to the sea
via rivers, the rest
returns to the
clouds via
transpiration and
evaporation from
the leaves! Source:
Permaculture Handbook,
Bill Mollison
Rain Cycle is interrupted by deforestation
85% of
precipitation
comes to earth in
the form of
condensation,
which occurs
when there is a
temperature
difference
between the air
and in this case,
leaves. No leaves
means no
condensation.

Source: Permaculture
Handbook, Bill Mollison
 deforestation, followed by erosion and soil loss These are sites of predictable
erosion that could be
prevented.
Diagnostic:
 The results:
small-scale erosion leads to worse.
potentially, entire houses could be lost...and
denuded lands suffer loss of topsoil and reduced production
Downstream, the problems
get worse...
Solutions!!
3 prong approach
• Observe and analyze the specific site

• Design

• Implement
3 primary methods
• Contour water retention earthworks “swales” ,
en Espanol, “canals en contorno”—level ditches that allow rainfall to
penetrate and sink in
• Containing water in depressions, for water penetration: Check-
dams, gabions, small dams, sink holes

• Rainwater catchment and storage>>Ferrous Cement tanks: tanks of

minimal high-carbon material, ie. minimal cement and rebar
Videos. These links provide more detail about solutions

Swales. Harvesting Water. Geoff Lawton https://youtu.be/kj0MaislQKg

How does a swale (contour canal) work? (1 min)

Water Retention Landscaping Design, Geoff lawton https://youtu.be/ZMgQ_c8J1hE

How swales make reforestation much more possible. This video has no sound. The story is
in the visuals. (3 min)
Swale sinking water into the earth
Swale actually recharging a spring as plume
comes to the surface
Community scale solutions:
• Create models!!
• Create bigger models!
• Seek funding to implement in neighborhoods that recognize the
danger and the solutions
Model: Finca
Vida Verde, .5
hectare
- Roof catchment of
approximately 20 sq. m.
harvests 21,000 cubic liters,
only 1/3 of its potential with
average rainfall in Vilca.
- System of sediment tanks
catch and filter road run-off
connecting to swale system.
- Swale system accessing
approximately 2/3 of the
planting beds to provide
water seepage irrigation.
Model: Yupaichani
Organics, .5 hectare
Finca Vida
•Adds potential for more clear Verde
model, including water–
infiltration ponds to
demonstrate how to recharge
aquifers and springs. This is
“how-to” give back to Mother
Nature. This is the missing
piece. It has all been about
“taking” for far too long!
•Yupaichani also provides the Yupaichani
Organics
potential of a:
- much more extensive swale
system
- Bioremediation system
- Semi-dense housing integrated
with intensive growing systems
Finca Vida Verde
Ferrous Cement
Water Storage
Tanks:
building our 14 cu. m. tank
 Rainfall catchment

This tank holds 14,000 liters (14

cu m), about 20% of our total
roof catchment capacity. This
will water our .5 hectare
intensively planted garden in the
dry season for about 1 month.
OR, provide water which we can
filter for household needs for
about 3 months.
Tanks can be important
and sometimes necessary,
but… SWALES can hold much
more water and they recharge
aquifers and springs, and they are
carbon-neutral!!
In Spanish, swales are called
“Canales en contorno” SWALES ARE COOL!!!
(contour canals)
a very descriptive way to refer
to them.
 Prevent Erosion:
contour planting & filtration canals (swales)
Water Retention landscaping:
beautiful design of swales and ponds
VISIBILITY: A bigger model !! approximately 20 hectares.This model
would be visible from all of Vilcabamba.
Design applied to a segment of
valle San José
Prevent landslides and
flooding:
check-dams and small
dams
Early intervention means simple, low- Late intervention means LARGE &
cost solutions EXPENSIVE solutions
Conclusions:
• Water retention landscaping helps maintain soil fertility, high
production, crop diversity and makes reforestation possible.
• The best way to save water and to restore aquifers is to accumulate
water in the land, reducing costs and improving soil quality.
• Good water management practices in the uplands will solve problems
of landslides and flooding in the lower areas.
• Good water management directly benefits individuals and families as
well as communities--in so many ways!