Zaytuna Farm Vs the Flood of 2022

A 100-year flood is a massive flooding event that is unlikely to be equaled or exceeded over the next century. On Monday the 1st of March 2022, Zaytuna Farm experienced a 100-year flood event, and Geoff Lawton is taking us on a tour of how his permaculture site fared.
The rain event at Zaytuna was astounding. The Wilson River at Lismore rose 14 meters, a full two meters higher than the previous record, and rain on the farm accrued to the tune of 775 mm (30 inches) in 24 hours, with one hour alone accounting for 180 mm (seven inches) of rainfall. Thousands of homes were destroyed in surrounding areas, and everyone is now trying to recover.
Zaytuna Farm handled the event with some damage but promising resolve. The spillway for Tinker’s Bubble, the main irrigation dam (high elevation on the site), couldn’t keep up with the water flow. Though the dam spilled over the wall, the construction did hold up. However, the next dam-Mud Hole-experienced a massive hit and gave way to the pressure, sending a load of water and material down to Fern Gully Dam. Luckily, Fern Gully Dam was able to stop the material, and despite filling, the overflow infrastructure-a dam-to-swale spillway-pacified the water and moved it downhill safely.
Flood Plain Paddock got a huge sediment/topsoil deposit with areas measuring two meters deep in new soil accumulation, which would take centuries to create. The tree gullies of Zaytuna were able to slow the floodwaters down, causing it to drop detritus and soil. On the other side of the farm, Campers Lagoon stayed safe because the emergency overflows mitigated the flood.
With the world changing and such events becoming more regular than anomalous, places like Zaytuna have to prepare for both long droughts and huge floods. Sound design is how we can approach the new global climate.
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About Geoff:
Geoff is a world-renowned permaculture consultant, designer, and teacher that has established demonstration sites that function as education centers in all the world's major climates. Geoff has dedicated his life to spreading permaculture design across the globe and inspiring people to take care of the earth, each other, and to return the surplus.
About Permaculture:
Permaculture integrates land, resources, people, and the environment through mutually beneficial synergies - imitating the no waste, closed-loop systems seen in diverse natural systems. Permaculture applies holistic solutions that are applicable in rural and urban contexts and at any scale. It is a multidisciplinary toolbox including agriculture, water harvesting and hydrology, energy, natural building, forestry, waste management, animal systems, aquaculture, appropriate technology, economics, and community development.
#permaculture #flood #climate

[@matthewdavis1168]

Geoff, could you please do a video on the repair of some of these earthwork blow outs? I think all of us are going to need to learn how to repair or reinforce the destruction after events like these. Thanks for these videos!

[@lisareeve5025]

This is so cool. I'm especially astounded by the massive soil deposits on the river flats. The idea that you can design to capture benefits from natural disasters blows my mind

[@JohnMarsing]

Wow. It was impressive to see how well the design at Zaytuna Farm held up under the pressure of this historic events. What would have happened if there was a 100 Zaytuna Farms in the Wilson river valley? How much would have that dampened the historic flood at Lismore?

[@tesha199]

There would be no flood if all the land is managed properly.

[@pinkelephants1421]

@@tesha199 No, there would have been a flood but it wouldn't have been anywhere near as bad. Given the huge volume of rainfall in such a short time frame, (no) amount of food protection measures would have been able to cope, merely reduce severity.

[@tesha199]

@@pinkelephants1421 healthy soils can take easily a feet of rainfall per hour

[@tesha199]

@@pinkelephants1421 in some forests around the world, there's 12-20ft of rainfall every year, and it all gets stored directly in the soil, where it drops.

[@pinkelephants1421]

@@tesha199 But the key takeaway here is that Australia has had her land stripped of much of its native tree cover & land management practices have meant significant soil degradation radically reducing the land's ability to absorb the type of rainfall we're talking about here; which is why Geoff is continually banging the tree inclusion drum as part of sustainable land management practices.

[@annburge291]

Really appreciate how you demonstrated how the water systems held up. This is one of your most important videos. Spill ways.... they fail with a v carve out. What happens if you make a v rock sieve rather than a dirt berm at the spill way point? It would mean the dams would generally hold less water but it would reduce the likelihood of berm failure. One could install log terraces and plants on the water side to reduce the pressure of the spillway.

[@rehoboth_farm]

I'm so glad to hear that you are alive and well. Good to see that your farm made it through the storms so well. It's odd. I got this notification just as it started to rain. I was thinking about my ponds and water tanks filling up. I put a stand pipe drain into my little hand dug goose pond this past fall to eliminate the dam being cut or overflow making my walkway in front of my chicken house muddy all spring. I've learned so much from watching you over the years. You were a major influence on our decision to leave the city and get this farm. Best wishes to you all.

[@in2itv]

Unfortunately these “100 year events”, will be a lot more common:( Thank you Geoff for being my teacher 20 years ago at Tagari Farms. You taught me so much, much more than I could ever repay you. Much love from Ontario, Canada.

[@becmercer2573]

I'm so glad Zaytuna is ok! The floods were horrific and seeing that deposit of debris in the tree really illustrates the ridiculous amount of water going through the property. I never thought about catching topsoil by slowing water but it makes total sense. Thank you for sharing your learnings and also showing the power of permaculture design.

[@gm2407]

The amount of damage the farm saw was something you would consider significant on most farms. But 14 meters high to nearly drained is so impressive and shows you did well. Hopefully the repair works are documented so we can see your strategic adjustments for these bipolar weather events. I hope no one on the farm was hurt and people who were effected all over the country get the help they need.

[@b_uppy]

We know how Zaytuna farm acted. It prevented a lot of 'downhill damage'. Good lesson to plan for bigger than 20 year events. Love how you named your dams. Its so lush there compared yo most pictures of Oz.

[@anthonysinclair5721]

Unbelievable how high the water was , leaving debris 20-30 feet up in the tree!😳

[@pinkelephants1421]

Hate to think what would have been the implications for those people & properties below Zaytuna Farm if you hadn't had such mature plantings and water management systems in place. It will be extremely interesting to see if your neighbours take note of the level of damage you incurred in relation to themselves (and) crucially, if they come asking for advice & help installing similar alterations to their own properties; keep us updated please. I'm well aware of the usual rural Aussie mindset & wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Zaytuna Farm crowd are seen locally as a bit of a bunch of crackpots, albeit nice crackpots. If I'm right, nobody will be laughing now. 😀

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Oh Geoff, That was a great tour. 👍 I'm so glad your property survived because of your Permaculture design 👍

[@Christodophilus]

Um, wow, that's incredible. We experienced the damage from the 2011 floods in the Lockyer Valley, and know the devastation water can do to a landscape. But that was pretty extensive damage too. Obviously more water flowing through. Taking out a clump of bamboo that size, now THAT'S some powerful water.

[@whereisangie]

please let us know how you use all that new topsoil!

[@netrabantawa3439]

Remarkable resilience of a Permaculture farm . But still feel Sorry , and wishing early recovery from the flood damage.

[@jessicaheger1880]

The flood deposits in that tree around 9:30 is just incredible! Permaculture provides such supreme resilience ❤

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you so very much Mr. Lawton.

[@ninemoonplanet]

You and all the people in that part of Australia have been in my thoughts. I wondered how you and your family were doing. So glad to know the flood didn't knock you off your feet. 🇨🇦 It's an experience we faced last November, with highways ruined, rail lines knocked out, so perhaps I understand how long this will take to get back. The town of Lilloet is still basically in ruins from the fire last June. It will takes patience, determination, and neighbours helping each other.

[@mkuc6951]

Thanks for the update Geoff. Apart from one badly silted dam, you did well compared to Lismore overall, nothing an excavator and redesign can't fix in a week.

[@pinkelephants1421]

Actually as I watched that part of the video I thought how lucky that dam was where it was; there was a depression to catch all that silt & rocks, preventing it from carrying on downhill to who knows where, doing even more damage. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

I was wondering whether Geoff would leave it (so much dirt to move - but maybe not so hard after all with an excavator as you say) or put it back.

[@mkuc6951]

@@barnabyvonrudal1 when I was there he would do earth works courses and teach people how it's done at the same time.

[@whereisangie]

great video geoff. ive been worried about everyone there and eager to see how your systems handled the floods. i liked seeing how the bamboo roots held all the tipsoil. im learning a lot thank you!!

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

I was impressed by that too! Although he did show one big clump that got taken down river/stream

[@reginamcclung6477]

My heart goes out to the people in your community!

[@RelaxingSounds-ev6zz]

Had all the properties followed your principles it would have definitely mitigated the disaster back home. Your work is doing incredible things Geoff.

[@katharinawagner6361]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. We can see, that your way is the right way. You have saved the environment. Be proud of you.

[@xavierroy5254]

thank you for this amazing amount of information you are puting online for free.I will definitely come to Australia for a full permaculture course

[@deboraholmsted1625]

Thank you, we are in the midst of design of our site, this video was invaluable.

[@timbushell8640]

Glad to you and the team safe and the property responding so well... observation and adjustments are needed, but that is to be expected. Great vid too.

[@pam9470]

Agree with other comments, that this is one of Geoff's most important videos - a truly working model will hopefully inspire the town planners/farmers to follow his example!

[@earlshine453]

The real problem is that you being uphill have the choice to set apart intermediate storage capacity for such an event. However if you choose to keep your storage capacity max filled before a massive rain event, all your excess of water will go to the floodplain and contribute to the flooding. When and how much to discharge is a difficult decision. Last autumn i drained half of my rainwater storage on my backyard in order to restock the groundwater, knowing that if a hard frost would come, I only would have to dispose the other half into the sewer and ballast the county sewage cleaning installation with clean rain water. (separating sewage and rainwater disposing takes decades) Now I only have half of my rainwater at hand, in the midst of a very dry spring. Greetings from Holland that always was oriented to get rid of water asap, but there are signs that some planners are now realizing that there is also a need to recharge the groundwater (after a couple of dry years)

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

Sounds like an interesting idea, discharge some of your holding capacity if there's a big rain event coming

[@dodopson3211]

Holland as in the Netherlands or Holland as in the City in Michigan?

[@earlshine453]

@@dodopson3211 Holland in Europe

[@dodopson3211]

@@earlshine453 I also live there ☺ wat toevallig

[@papapetad]

Reflecting on what you're pointing out about water capacity and discharge, i'm thinking that's only one part of the cogs in terms of downhill effects. Other important factors are the speed of the water entering the property vs exit speed as well as how much debris in vs out. Whether the land is saturated or not is no biggie if water is slow and not charged with debris as it passes through. Zaytuna acted like a massive shock absorber as well as filter. What happens before and beyond is up to whomever is willing and able to learn from Zaytuna's design and implement measures accordingly. As for Lismore, well, it comes with the territory, kinda like people living at the base of a volcano. I'm sure some land management design could have reduced the impact of the flood but it sounds like the area's natural predisposition is to behave exactly as it did, natural biosphere disturbance from human settlement aside. The town is the anomaly in the equation. Funny thing is, with the amount of damage done, those costs could likely have covered incredible water management landscaping in the area to minimize the impact of such events. It would be really cool to see what such a design would look like on this sort of scale!

[@laurenbell5151]

I had many friends lose their houses, horses and pets in Lismore, Byron and Mullumbimby. So devastating for them, not sure whether to tell my friend with the horses about how to prevent a recurrence, might be a bit too soon still! Can’t wait to watch the video of the repair. Pat yourself on the back knowing that you’re spreading such incredible knowledge to us!!!

[@MistiClectiCisM]

We can do it with Design and Design is what we’re all about -love your work Geoff, thanks for all what you bring to this world

[@ayalearnsandplay2004]

Glad to hear that you are all ok and the Farm made it through this tough times.

[@derby1919]

Geoff that is unbeliveable the amount of water in one day. With your videos and your design procedure would it be possible for you to work with farms and people upstream to try and provent that much damage in town. I am glad through design Zaytuna Farm and yourselfs stayed save, keep up the good work Chris D

[@nickkitchener6155]

Excellent verification of your design Geoff. Great job!

[@anatevkabell6046]

Good to see that you are safe. And many thanks for this video and the lessons learned. You had as much rain in 24 hour as we have in a normal year. I did last year‘s online course and I am even more grateful now because I learned so much from you. I will build my food forest with swales in autumn and I will put a lot more attention on the spillways. Thank you for giving us an update. I hope you‘ll keep us posted. 🙏🏼

[@denissesheartyhomestead]

wow the level of debri deposit is so high. thank you for sharing the effects of 100 yr flood. i appreciate the efforts you go to show us how we can prepare as best as possible to our changing world.

[@maearcher4721]

Nature has basically handed you lots of soil to work with! But I am glad the damage is not too bad and you seem in good spirits and already planning the improvements. In my country we had 1000 year old flood in 2002, improvements from goverment afterwards none except new flood bariers. They think it cannot happen again soon. I think everybody would be interested if you made whole video on preparing for 100+ year floods, in more detail about changes to design regarding floods. I certainly agree that extremes of weathers happen more often these days, both droughts and floods and in some regions of world they were extreme already to begin with. So it helps to be prepared for such events.

[@tesha199]

Yeah, this seems like the right moment to make such a video.

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

What area/region are you in?

[@maearcher4721]

@@barnabyvonrudal1 Czechia-such big floods really aren't our thing, but we had several big droughts in recent years, and when we have only normal rainfall, often it causes some minor flooding. It shouldn't have. It should be kept in landscape and seep into underground. And water levels of underground keep dropping. It might not become big issue in this decade, but it certainly will become big issue in my lifetime unless we do something. And sadly goverment goes completely wrong way about solutions. But tbh, I am also fascinated by erosion due to flash floods in Morocco. It causes braided rivers-rivers that split and then reconnect later on-it is like insanely rare, but whole of Southern Morocco has it as norm. So I'd be really interested how do you try to prevent floods in region like that.

[@amyjones2490]

I was very interested to see how you fared in that massive flood event. Glad your farm is OK.

[@aaronshorter864]

It’s amazing to see how well Zaytuna farm held up. It’s also great to see the design in action and that it isn’t always 100% and requires a little bit of repair and additions to work at an optimal level. Still even with the few issue faired way better than the other surrounding areas. Hopefully everyone is safe.

[@haraldhilbert7002]

This was the test of the design by one of the best in the field. Id say you have passed the test of God over there in aus, respect to you Geoff

[@phishwithoutfish]

The videos are amazing. The production value is so good. Thank you for everything you do.

[@FunkyKiwi7]

Thank You for sharing 🙏 It's like going on an adventure of discovery following you over your property.

[@charlesward8196]

Wonderful demonstration of proof of concept. Now we need a wider application of the concept to spread the benefits.

[@jaywald9872]

You have impressed me my entire adult life , and now my soul has been reinvigorated... Thank you for all you do !!

[@donnafox7964]

Learning so, so much through your videos. Thank you.

[@MetalGearMk3]

someone send this man a 4K camera.

[@loue6563]

We have not often scene in the past just how much damage a major flood can do. I remember when my mothers family had what they called a 500 year flood in the eastern mountains of Kentucky. Going through the area after you could see things hanging from the tops of trees. I think that unfortunately we will begin to see this more and more as the times goes. We are in a time of extremes. And it makes it exponentially more important to have our lands fortified with the right design systems.

[@tesha199]

If more land managers practiced regenerative farming and proper water management, these extreme events wouldn't be so extreme in the first place, and we'd cope with ease when heavy rains like this occur. Luckily, where I live we get evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year.

[@inharmonywithearth9982]

I am sorry to see you guys just had a major flood disaster as bad as the one on this video a few days ago in Kentucky. I hope you survived.

[@troygoss6400]

Amazing work. Your farm is an example of how we (the collective) must go forward. Unfortunately, this may not be 100 year event. Because of climate change humanity will have to adapt.

[@ediblegardening]

That is amazing to see material deposited on the tree tops. It is hard to imagine how much water came through.

[@crunchworks22]

This is groundbreaking knowledge. I hope this type of thing influences design beyond the world of permaculture.

[@eucabrooks]

Hope you're still safe after the additional recent flood. I can't begin to imagine what everyone's going through down there right now.

[@gayalux1688]

You are doing an excellent job, reforesting and regreening, however Nature doesn't like being controlled😏💖🤗😁😜😀

[@oscarherrera9049]

Love the video, excellent Geoff

[@tonisee2]

Wow! That really was a massive event. I keep my thumbs that you recover quickly from that disaster. But from the bright side - now there is again some space and/or chance to teach hands-on permaculture earthworks to students! 🙂

[@Greentrees60]

Plus a gift of 2 meters of rich soil

[@alisonbender8611]

Thank you, it is good to see the whole picture and how permaculture works beautifully.

[@daleireland]

Glad to see you guys survived 🙏 thanks for the new video we’ve been missing you Geoff at Zaytuna

[@art_of_zig]

Great Video Geoff. Thanks for sharing your views and discoveries.

[@naturewoman1274]

Permaculture is the key, glad you're safe and well

[@ashtree9693]

Thanks Geoff. Been waiting for this one. Just incredible the amount of water and proof beyond anyone's doubt that this is the way to farm.

[@margareth1504]

So much an interesting and educational video. Design is important from the education of the land.

[@evantspurrell]

That is impressive to see the clumping bamboos ability to fortify the dam

[@richardforster5394]

insane. glad you (and your systems) are doing well, Geoff.

[@BradKaellner]

Epic update Geoff! Curious why you decided to use clumping bamboo on the dam walls instead of running bamboo?

[@timothy4weigel]

Wow, That definitely demonstrates the purpose of great design.

[@nathanwestfall9412]

You give me inspiration to survive through this grand solar minimum! Thanks for sharing

[@lesliekerr7952]

That was a “serious” high water mark of debris up in those trees!!! So good to see how well the infrastructure at Zaytuna held up, and cool that nature has shown the features that need to be added. I’m sure you are already planning for a so-called 500-year event. Some USA areas like Houston, TX, have had multiple 100-year events in a span of fewer than five years… so much new hard surface development has made old flood estimates next to worthless. Now add increasingly unstable climate…. It’s good to know Zaytuna is modeling how to prepare for fire AND flood. 💚

[@christinelarkin8054]

Hard to control effects when the weather is geo engineered

[@kevinmjomba3394]

Great content 👌🏾. I'd suggest planting vetiver grass along the spillways of your dams and swales, their deep fibrous roots will hold onto the soil even in the case of floods, preventing that excessive erosion causes by the sudden increase in the volume of water that flows over them during floods. Really easy and cheap to implement, wish you best of luck ✨

[@juanortizyepez7253]

Design is all about. Long live Permaculture!

[@danyoutube7491]

@9:18 That is mind boggling! It astonishes and frightens me that the water must have been that high.

[@FurikuriYugi]

Great demonstration of resource harvesting.

[@HFTLMate]

So cool thanks for the video

[@sundancer442]

Are you going to dredge the dams deeper ? Given these events are going to become more commonplace ,it seems like the right idea. Also why didn't you film during the event ? Thanks Geoff for the vid. Well done on surviving this first of many events.

[@pinkelephants1421]

Filming during an almost 8 metre high, life threatening flood event would have been unbelievably dangerous and bloody stupid.

[@countrymousesfarmhouse497]

Very impressive. Incredible system you have there . 💚

[@jamesreynold6711]

Very informative and inspiring

[@futurecaredesign]

Great video!

[@james-is9gy]

You are a legend,, great inspirational video

[@antoniodossantos5960]

Very interesting 🌎 Thanks. Greetings from Colombia. Fundación Apamate NGO.

[@lesnytl8318]

Fantastisk !

[@Awellsfarm]

Thank you for sharing ?

[@jaysonvance594]

Where I live here in Missouri in 2017 was hit with a 500 year flood. It was insane. Bridges were pushed a quarter mile and cabins floated away. So many people lost so much.

[@RichardFalkner]

What a brutal event... Sorry for your losses... and congrats on your gains??? Also I think the subs are wrong in a few places when Geoff says "sill" the first few times, and later when he says "swivel", they are all subbed as "swale". That shot with the uprooted bamboo and the debris in the canopy is incredible, you should release that shot *by itself* on your socials.

[@jhosk]

Most would be devastated, Geoff's like cool, I got more dirt. Lol

[@goncalomarrote418]

music to my ears.

[@shrachi91d]

Yes Sir, mother earth is changing herself rapidly.

[@djgriffin66]

Grateful you're ok - through great planning :) Saw The Weedy Gardner's vid the other day... thoughts go out to all

[@slowgomera5611]

reckon 100 year flood events going to occur a lot more.10 to 20 year events.read that its about 7%more water in suspension (rain)for every 1 degree on surface...thanks Geoff,we also pray for rain ,but not to much!saludos from finca Memé la Gomera.

[@ThatWhichErodes]

I am interested to know if the proper next steps is to swale/dam the watershed that was cut through the land by the flood. The flood basically showed how water of that volume will flow though the landscape, so it reveals the proper placement of levees and swales to mitigate that kind of flow.

[@monkeysezbegood]

One of those 100 year floods that are now happening ever year or so.

[@arcadiapermaculture974]

Wow, that's one crazy flood event. Glad you're OK. Makes me wonder how the flood effects might have been mitigated if every farm was designed with this kind of resilience in mind.

[@tophercIaus]

I'm really not far from you as the crow flies, though I am higher in my catchment that you are in yours. My property is almost entirely flat on the creek so it is the first point where the water could slow and deposit. I actually had 2 leaky weirs form from displaced rocks naturally in the creek which is very interesting. Nowhere near the soil deposits you got though. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to form swales on this place yet but a natural keyline exists and much of the property has been rewilded and that has performed brilliantly in such a huge deluge.

[@solfeinberg437]

We all need to do this. Geoff seems like the messiah because we're so backwards generally and he's so right on. I'm doing this stuff on a micro scale with rainwater off the roof and the driveway - which actually collects huge amounts frequently. And the garden. And some micro ponds.

[@christinebottaro9017]

Seems you will have to study eroded areas upstream from Zaytuna because channels upstream are probably now deeper and allow more force to travel down toward you. My inexperience in this has me guessing you will possibly spread the dams you have built to become wider to disperse incoming water even farther across the landscape in emergency situations. Gravity, dispersed force, containment vs flow are all tricky players. Really interesting aftermath video. Drone footage with labels is especially helpful. Congratulations on successfully coping with massive rain event.

[@Rygoat]

Wow it wasnt until you pointed up at the deposits left in the trees above you that I got a sense of scale to just how much water your property had to try to weather

[@RekaBalazs]

Australia, March 22nd: "The flood of 2022" Hungary, March 22nd: "We haven't had any rain in 2022 yet"

[@deancarlyle7431]

👍👍👍

[@dayvancowboi9135]

this is resilience

[@michaelg8642]

flooding with tornadoes for me tomorrow after worst hurricane to ever hit my town last summer woohoo! Hope that mycelium keeps the mulch in place lol

[@tonycortese2165]

Wow

[@bunyiphoopsnake5870]

Excellent! I’m sharing this to my community.

[@abideenturky]

Recovery come from hope.