Microcatchment Water Harvesting for Desert Revegetation

Report from the field
Fred Fred Edwards Edwards and
and
David David Bainbridge
Bainbridge
Both Both of of us us us have have worked worked worked in
in
developing developing countries. countries. As As we we have
have
worked, worked, traveled traveled and and talked talked to to
to
people,people, we we have have become become conconvincedvinced
that that reversing reversing reversing desertifidesertifi-
cation, cation, reducing reducing reducing soil soil erosion erosion and
and
increasing increasing increasing production production from from from arid
arid Water harvesting - Jordan
andand semi-arid semi-arid regions regions are are criticriticriti- cal cal global global issues. issues. In In developing developing countries, countries, revegetation
revegetation
methods methods need need to to be be economical economical and and adaptable adaptable to to hand
hand
labor,labor, but but in in in countries countries where where where labor labor costs costs are are high, high, high, methmeth-
ods ods ods must must must be be mechanized. mechanized. Rainfall Rainfall catchment catchment construction
construction
can can fill fill both both needs. needs. It It is is a a simple simple technique technique adaptable adaptable to
to
local local labor labor and and materials materials in in drylands drylands drylands anywhere anywhere in in the
the
world. world. Like Like most most most revegetation revegetation techniques techniques for for arid arid lands,
lands,
it it does does not not work work without without rainfall; rainfall; but, but, when when the the rain rain does
does
come, come, rainfall rainfall catchments catchments can can be be used used to to focus focus water water
water
where where it it will will do do the the the most most good. good.
good.
Like Like Like many many great great solutions solutions to to to environmental environmental environmental problems,
problems,
rainfall rainfall catchments catchments are are a a reinterpretation reinterpretation of of of ancient ancient
ancient
techniques techniques developed developed in in the the Middle Middle East East East and and Americas, Americas,
Americas,
but but forgotten forgotten by by modern modern science science and and technology. technology. In In the
the
Mojave Mojave and and Colorado Colorado deserts deserts of of California, California, we we have have found
found
thisthis simple simple technique technique technique can can improve improve the the survival survival survival of of transtrans-
planted planted native native seedlings seedlings by by more more than than 20%. 20%. 20%. Because Because this
this
technique technique is is simple, simple, additional additional construction construction costs costs are
are
offset offset by by by the the the savings savings savings gained gained gained by by by increased increased increased survival survival and and
and
the the the reduced reduced need need to to replant. replant. We We highly highly recommend recommend recommend this
this
technique technique for for restoration restoration and and revegetation revegetation revegetation projects
projects
undertaken undertaken in in arid arid arid and and semi-arid semi-arid environments.
environments.