Irrigation options??

So I just bought a new house and I am trying to get the the scene set up for the garden etc. I am putting gutters on the house so rain barrel collection is an option (asphalt shingles though?)
I also have a small creek/stream running through the property. When I say small, about 2-3 foot wide and a few inches deep. SO I could pump from the stream and run the down spout into the stream??

Any thoughts on this ??

I was also told I have spring heads in a general area but I have no clue what look for or what to do if I found one?

I wouldn't run water off my roof into a stream, but that's just my me.

I would deter, slow down and otherwise keep much of the water running in that stream busy on my land.

Watch the entire series of land regeneration Part 1, 2, 3 & 4 to get ideas about what to do with streams  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YMX031weVw&feature=related.

Run your roof water into pounds with foliage to 'clean' that water before moving it on over your land.  There are vids for that too

All the best

Jamie,

Thanks for the info.    I dont have any ponds on my property as of now.    I live at the foot of a mountain and my property slopes from front to back and the water runs about 15ft off of my house.  I have figured that I get 35000 gallons of water off my roof a year.  Wouldn't I need a huge pond for that??  Also how tuff is it to dig and keep a pond on sloped terrain??      Many thanks.

No not a huge pond as you don't keep the water just run it into the first pond with cattails and then run it over rocks to aerate as it goes to another pond with underwater plants and fish, and then ?  See your processing the water, cleaning it, and enjoying it as you do so.  By the time it reaches the end it is clean enough to use on your plants or run it back into that stream. 

Type in permaculture water at youtube.com for lots of ideas.

organick wrote:
Jamie,

Thanks for the info.    I dont have any ponds on my property as of now.    I live at the foot of a mountain and my property slopes from front to back and the water runs about 15ft off of my house.   I have figured that I get 35000 gallons of water off my roof a year.   Wouldn't I need a huge pond for that??   Also how tuff is it to dig and keep a pond on sloped terrain??       Many thanks.

Organick, you need to get some kind  of rain barrel system to store that water up and switch it into your toilet system.  Use THAT for flushing.  Maybe find a way to switch it into your shower, in addition to using it to water your garden.  That would REALLY cut down on your water bill.

And the pond thing isn't tough.  You just need to lower one side of the mountain so your terrain doesn't slope...

Here's some more information about storing water in the soil: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iQ-FBAmvBw

http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/

Personally I would store the water from your roof in a rain tank to use for irrigation and if you want, flushing toilets or doing laundry.  Asphalt shingles aren't ideal and I would hesitate to use water off them for drinking or cooking.  Washing should be ok.  If you're using the water for irrigation and household, you won't need a huge storage container, since it will refill with as you use it.  A couple thousand gallons or so would probably be sufficient. 

If you want to be water self-sufficient you might also want to look into grey water gardening:  http://oasisdesign.net/

It should be possible to divert the first flush of water away from your collection tank, if you expect tar (or other stuff) from the roof to become a problem.

There are lots of designs out there.

Ludi wrote:
If you're using the water for irrigation and household, you won't need a huge storage container, since it will refill with as you use it.  A couple thousand gallons or so would probably be sufficient.

That is rather climate-dependent!  For irrigation alone, we needed 3500 gallons this year for a quite modest garden, because it didn't refill all summer.

i agree with those that suggested having your water from your house tempered through a small bog or pond, at least to cool before being used on your garden..for hot water.

i agree with the rain barrels as well..or a collection pond..but try to use gravity as much as possible..from roof, to storage..to garden by gravity

KeithBC wrote:
That is rather climate-dependent!  For irrigation alone, we needed 3500 gallons this year for a quite modest garden, because it didn't refill all summer.

We have about 11,000 gallons storage for our droughty climate.