Check Dams Erosion Fighting Update

[@aliciadupuy9228]

Its so great to see earth (property) being cared for Gods way! All the blessings to you and yours!

[@insAneTunA]

That filled up fast. You don't need bulldozers to work the land, just strategically placed dams will do most of the trick, awesome!! Have you ever tried to throw in some native plant seeds in those creek systems that you created? I think that it would do reasonably well. I mean, over time nature will do it anyway, but by giving it some extra seeds it might help to speed things up a bit in terms of creating shade and bio mass and root systems and micro organisms and such. 👍

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Nature has been beating me to it washing seeds in, but i've been observing her. There are rare species out here(rare for this area) and as I see them pop up I collect seeds and try to spread them to bring back faster what has been trying to come back with increased water.

[@insAneTunA]

@@offgriddesertgreening1647 Cool !! At the moment here in the Netherlands we have some issues with high water. But so far everything seems to be reasonably under control. In the entire country all the systems are working at full capacity to pump water. And they even added extra capacity. But the water level is about 12 to 18 ft above the surface of the land. So the dykes are at full capacity, and in some cases spillways are flooding dedicated flood areas in order to relief some pressure from the rivers. For the entire country there are flood warnings. But people are not in panic, so far all the systems and structures to protect the people and their houses and to prevent damage seem to work well. Here is a nice video about what is happening. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWOplqiYfsarfqs

[@itsrachelfish]

Love to see the water flowing around alternate paths during a rain storm! That's the best indication that your water catchment structure is working and effectively spreading out the water! 💖🌊

[@brianvittachi6869]

Your boys and you are doing great work. Thanks for sharing.

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Sometimes I wonder where they came from. So obedient and good mannered. lol Must be moms side.

[@debratakagawa4764]

It’s amazing the good things that can happen to the land and soil when you’re doing the right thing. Slowing the water spreading it out and getting it to sink in.

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Seems that's how nature does it so i'm excited to see her respond.

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you. I appreciate being able to see them in action.

[@RizkyChannel55]

Nice shering

[@heronthere]

Nice presentation. It is cool how different areas use different materials based on the geology. You use rocks, i use ash juniper logs or branches. We both get results from what the land provides.

[@heatherleger6430]

Excellent ❤

[@rsberryalta]

Maybe worth mentioning that the check dams do require infrequent, but regular, maintenance. I've been building them on high desert land in Utah for several decades, and they work as shown in the video. But on occasion, flash floods come down in monsoon season at such high volume that they wash out even the largest check dams. Luckily the washed out rocks are usually near by. But its not a once and then you are done solution. Its not a bad idea to build a "keyhole gap" in the top of the dam to provide an exit point for the collected water, which helps prevent washouts along the bank ends of the dam. Thanks for the video.

[@waterboi4846]

very nice man

[@JackofAllMasterOfnone86]

Couple places sell native grass seed for our region. I tossed out a mix of native grass and flowers to stabilize the banks. I have a non irrigated patch of about 30x50 native pasture now. A bit bigger than what I tossed out. It's thick and apparently palatable for the animals and also got a ton of quail and pollinators for my citrus trees. Worked out way better than I thought it would 😂😂😂

[@Prober61]

Beautiful work sir. My best to you and yours!

[@Ifyouarehurtnointentwasapplied]

It's looking great imagine that water leveling your land completely and slowly trickleing over All of it your not far away from this ✌️

[@christinewens3115]

wow nice job

[@ladyofthemasque]

As much as I want to give a thumbs-up for the check dams & water-slowing & the harvesting of water back into the local landscape for aquifer & water table refilling...I'm sorry. I only get to bestow one (1) thumbs-up Like, so I *had* to give the thumbs-up *specifically* for the names of your dogs. Blessings on all of you!

[@traildude7538]

Most of those are low enough that as they fill with sediment they can be raised over time -- the ones in the second half of the video are ripe for that. Depending on the soil there, carving some overflow basins off to the sides to catch more water and enhance the water table even more.

[@jamess.2649]

Great dam news

[@shannonalaminski2619]

Remember to keep building up those little check dams. It's amazing how much sediment theyve already captured. Can you check moisture content in the soil around there in general compared to in those gullies behind the check dams? Is there a difference yet?

[@Smokkedandslammed]

Check the damn video!

[@jimdotcom1972]

do you need to keep building your check dams higher and higher everytime they fill in to slow the water down again? or is the gravel ground more porous and absorbant so you don't need to worry about holding the water back anymore?

[@insAneTunA]

If they do that the water will eventually follow a different path which might be undesirable. This technique will prevent further erosion in existing erosion gullies, but at the end of the day you also want exces water to be able to spread out or flow away or to collect in a future pond or swale without all the silt and rocks. It is a delicate balance between preserving as much water as possible and keeping things safe and manageable without undesired flooding or washouts of the land.

[@MichaelPiraino]

Do you not have access to a nursery to plan into the side of and behind the check dams to start producing biomass and shading the temporary pools formed? The silted dropped areas usually are great subterranean water holders which vegetation can access (allowing you to plant less drought hardy trees)

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

I start most of my crops from seed. This year I'll give that more of a shot, i finally have a good grasp on what grows here without watering much.

[@doorr1231]

Awesome video I hope your land turns green where you at Van Horn area

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Thanknyou, That is the goal. I'm not far from van horn. I love that captain jacks?food there.

[@markfisher8549]

like it

[@ourrockydreamontheelephant4188]

Great update,are you going to be building them up now? Also agree with insane tuna. Spreading seeds in there will spend up the process.

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Yes most will have to be built up. At some point I'd like to see them become sand dams trapping water within how many are doing in Africa.

[@rusty9045]

Interesting. You see few of these vids with actual water flowing to see how it's behaving around these check dams and other types of rock dams.

[@gilgoofthegrove5072]

WOW you're literally reversing erosion!

[@robertvose7310]

cool video bro

[@adrianmitchell9819]

Have you look into breave analog damns? They are cheap and easy to build. They are also very effective.

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

I'm looking now, thanks for the tip.

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Looks like you meant to type beaver dam analogs. I think this is where sand dams/check dams come from. Observing how beavers dam in the wild has taught us how to regreen the desert/restore hydration in the soil. Most arroyos here are down to solid rock the erosion is so bad. But once i've a deep enough sand dam i'll try a BDA ontop. Great info!

[@adrianmitchell9819]

@@offgriddesertgreening1647 Sound great! 😄

[@jeffmarner3106]

Wife and I have been fantasizing about desert land out west for a few years. Would love to know if there was land near you available. Having a built in community like someone like you would be great though not necessary. And let’s be honest, we might annoy each other but similar missions could at least lead to alliances.

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

Plenty of land out here brother. Without community we can't thrive easily. I've found space and boundaries are the key for good neighboring.

[@ravenrock541]

Before European man arrived, America had a huge population of beavers from coast to coast. Beavers are a vital keystone ecological animal. You need to fill the role of the keystone beaver, now. Doing so will restore the life to your land. Go back into historical records, look for pictures of your area in the 1800's to 1900. You'll see that the plant life was far more abundant. Study beavers behavior, it will help immensely. For one, the deliberately build tributaries from the central damn water. Expanding the wetland sq. footage in ever larger areas.

[@dort5436]

How often do you redo the check dam?

[@offgriddesertgreening1647]

It depends on how much rain/flow we get. I have some check dams performing 4 years later and other blown apart in one massive storms flow. But in general most make in and just need to be raised and widened.

[@PCMenten]

Consider recording the video in wide format instead of tall format; hold the phone sideways.

[@garywheeler7039]

More like rip rap than dams. Will slow the speed of the water but will not impound much water for very long. Needs a better barrier, maybe some black plastic or clay or grout under the big rocks to stop the water for a couple days if possible. Or longer of course.

[@solarwind907]

Too small to watch on my phone

[@trashPanda416]

thats right