So what does 20" of snow do when it starts to warm up? Yeap, it starts to melt. Now add to that 20" of snow melt one good long soaking rain storm. Now what do you get? Lots of water, right? I designed 3 swales on the farm while taking a Permaculture Design Course in the fall of 2011. I kinda knew where the rain run-off was going already so that helped in designing the swales. My course instructor provided some guidance and advice. I had a pretty good idea that they would work but over the weekend I found out just how well they do work.

Original land terraces. These were designed years ago to run rain water off the land without causing soil erosion.

A local excavating company is doing the earthwork to create the new swales per my design.

Swales with water in them. The one on the right is the first of three and it is up top. The one to the left is actually the middle swale and you can just barely see the third swale on the bottom.

A better view of swale 2 and 3.

The earthwork got started in late fall and is still being worked. This explains all the mud and no established ground cover yet.The swales are designed to be about 24 to 30 inches deep. They look pretty wide when full. I am going to have to measure some of the widest points. I'm guessing about 5 feet. I estimate that I have around 1,600 linear feet combined in all three swales. Eventually there will be lots of fruit and nut trees planted here as we begin to establish a Food Forest. I have apple trees ordered to be planted this spring.

Spring is almost here. It is the time to be planting seed.