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Water runoff mitigation

 
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Posts: 875
Location: Kansas
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I have a little over three acres in rural Kansas. The soil is primarily clay loam, with a heavier clay layer about six inches to a foot down.

I had a second garden tilled this spring which gets runoff from the neighbor. During this last set of storms I was watching the runoff. As expected, the water is carrying the soil with it. The top (south) side of the garden seemed to pool the most, but it's also drying out first. Maybe a higher clay content?

Eventually this will be structured so no culinary water is needed, but each person I have spoken to has said increase drainage, get the excess water off the property.

I want to use that water, sink and hold it for use during the summer. While it might solve the existing mud problem, getting rid of it would not advance me toward my goals.

The space is, I think, about 80x80? 40 paces along one edge, and it's approximately square. This spring I split it into eight wedges, the borders of which are planned as an eventual fedge. Currently the plan is to leave the center open so I can get in to mow cover crops.

I have several ideas for the water, but I'm sure there are more out there.

1) Create a berm and swale along the southern edge to catch the runoff from the neighbor. That's right along the property line so it might become an issue if he objects. Probably easiest to use a log berm so there's no pit to catch his mower.

2) Log berm on contour along the edge of each spoke to catch any runoff sediment. Grasses, plant debris, etc, would catch on the logs rather than running down slope.

3) Small, shallow ponds at the bottom where the water leaves the garden. Maybe a foot deep, to catch and hopefully sink the water that makes it to this point. I would have no objection :) to a running spring downslope.

Other ideas? Problems?

The arrows are the direction of water flow. Circles are the position of small ponds. Horizontal lines would be small sections of log placed on the spoke boundaries but angled to contour.
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Lauren,

My first immediate recommendation is to contact your local Conservation District. As soon as possible! I do not have any Midwest experience at all. I do have very hilly farming country experience and have dealt with many of the same issues. Your thoughts are right on track with what I would recommend. The one thing that I need to recommend is to start with is a grassed waterway. That is planting grass species that are suitable for your area that are deep rooted. Once established, this practice will handle large flows of runoff without scouring. The second is to develop contour terraces. It is exactly what it sounds like. When paired with grass waterways, this controls a very large percentage, if not all, of your soils. The first couple of years will be the hardest as it will take a bit of time to get established

But contact your Conservation District. They are obligated to give you free advice and planning to help you out. You may very likely to receive conservation practice design with civil engineering assistance. Use them, they are there to provide assistance from small acreage to huge operations.

Hope this helps, Hoppy
 
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