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(E-Book - ENG) Larry Santoyo - An Ecological Approach To Sto PDF
(E-Book - ENG) Larry Santoyo - An Ecological Approach To Sto PDF
(E-Book - ENG) Larry Santoyo - An Ecological Approach To Sto PDF
by Larry Santoyo
The clearing of land across the landscape for farms and ranches, combined
with the constant development of commercial and residential areas, has led to
widespread problems of flooding and reduced groundwater recharge.
The hydrologic cycle includes not only water; but air, vegetation, and the soil of
the landscape. Water continuously cycles through the environment as rain,
streams, and vegetation. Through evapo-transpiration, it cycles back to rain.
This action of the water cycle, together with the landscape dynamic, works to
enhance vegetation, increase air humidity and saturate groundwater.
The amount of runoff that occurs is due to various physical features. Density of
vegetation, slope, conditions and composition of the soil as well as the intensity
and duration of a given storm event will all have an affect. In areas with dense
vegetation the soil absorbs rainfall quickly and in most cases entirely. Forested
areas typically have less than 10% runoff. Urban areas (with mostly hard
surfaces) and some arid regions of the world (with sparse vegetation) have up
to 80% runoff or more.
Runoff moves through the whole landscape profile in several predictable flow
patterns. Water moves first as rainfall, then moves laterally as overland flow or
"sheetflow." Sheetflow then creates very small channels which eventually join
together forming small streams. Small streams join together forming larger
streams which join together to form rivers.
Water can also soak into (infiltrate) the soil. The water that moves laterally (to a
stream channel) under the surface is called "interflow." Interflow can also be
drawn down to create an area where the soil is completely saturated called
"groundwater." The volume of stream flow is increased when the groundwater
is saturated enough (recharged) to rise and meet the level of the stream or
when the downcutting action of the stream cuts into the groundwater area. This
contribution, from the groundwater source to the stream, is called "base flow."
Mitigation Trends
Technological approaches to stormwater mitigation have not always solved
flood problems. In many areas approaches such as detention basins, culverts
and stormwater drains have high maintenance costs and problematic results.
Detention basins, designed to control peak water flow, only delay it temporarily.
Water may be "control released", but often the released water is combined with
that of nearby tributaries causing extensive flooding over an even longer period
of time (than would have occurred without detention). Released detention
water moves quickly over the surface and doesn't soak into the soil. Without
infiltrating, this water cannot contribute to groundwater quality nor recharge
base flow.
Culverts, in almost every instance, accelerate the velocity of water flow which
causes erosion. When not properly maintained culverts are easily clogged by
accumulated silt and debris, causing further outflooding and washouts.
Biological Mitigation
Biological approaches use "low-tech" (and often low cost) strategies that work
in harmony with the natural landscape. One of the most successful mitigation
strategies employed in dryland ecologies around the world is to "harvest" water
for infiltration. When infiltration strategies are implemented, downstream
flooding is reduced and groundwater is recharged.
Larry Santoyo is a Land Use Planner and Environmental Business Consultant. He currently
teaches at UC Berkeley. He is among the most experienced Permaculture Design
Instructors in the US and has over twenty years experience in resource protection and
natural systems management. He can be contacted through Santoyo and Associates
Permaculture Design (800) 469-5857 or via email at dotcalm@got.net.