Guest guest Posted November 17, 1999 Report Share Posted November 17, 1999 >I would imagine that if the beds were aranged so that they travel down the >gradient, the water may gather so much momentum that the beds could be >eroded. Wheras if the beds were accross the gradient, the water may be >impeded too much. This is the best approach I would say. Your water wants to flow as naturally as possible and to get it to flow as slow as possible is always the best for irrigation.If you are establishing permanent tracks for its path it is best to line these with grass. Besides erosion being arrested this natuarally flowing water is extremely beneficial. If you get too little or too much rainfall then you can build a pond above the production level with the dozer. Then you will create many more habitats for other creatures - on the top side you can build chinampas ( ups and downs, like little islands which increase your "edge") You can grow crops on the tops of these and aquaculture crops in the water. SHALLOW WATER IS THE HIGHEST PRODUCTIVITY ECO SYSTEM ON EARTH . Can grow Typha, looks like a bullrush which has a starchy tuber can be processed as cattle feed. The main task of a lake is to iron out irregular rain fall. Woodland above is best. You can regulate the irrigation when there is no rain. Higher up the hill(if you have one) you can even channel surface water down into your pond - Swales and saddle dams. On its way this ditched or channelled water can irrigate other less water demanding plants on the way. There are many good books on Permaculture, which might be useful to you if you are taking out all those tea bushes. To have some trees on the periphery as wind break is good and to shade the water store. There are seven layers of productive plants from productive trees down to root crops. These can always provide some food when you are busy doing other things or are in emergency. I personally am into non-mono culture of crops in beds etc - unless one adds a reasonable quantity of compost yearly. If you do this tomatoes can go on for what was it 9 years on same site. I don't plough up the land either, mulch out grass, even couch grass if you use enough mulch or black plastic to kill it first. I have some charts here on fruit bushes and trees etc for appropraite soil types - if you grow accordingly then you don't have to set about changing all the pH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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