How to prevent erosion, flooding and drought: the answer? Swales.

A permaculture swale is a technique that captures water in the landscape for passive irrigation and for slowing runoff. Learn what a permaculture swale is and why you might need one on your land. Paul from Back to la Tierra explains.
At Back to la Tierra in Mijas, Malaga (Spain) we offer self catering accommodation for guests who want to relax in a natural and peaceful environment close to everything but away from it all. Our finca is decorated in simple elegance offering privacy to our guests and education and workshops if they are interested. Find us www.backtolatierra.com @backtolatierra on Instagram

[@Sblatus]

I like the way swales are implemented here, they look good it’s not just a hole.

[@emmahardesty4330]

Thank you. Clear info--and very important, rare mention on the necessity of letting beavers do their thing. I'm in southern Arizona US and small, hand-dug swales create immediate, obvious response to everything I plant--and I mean after the first good rain. Soil enhancement is also rapid.

[@threeriversforge1997]

Good to hear someone else mentioning the beavers! One thing I tell folks is that they should build "micro-dams" a every chance, and at the highest elevations on their land. Even a simple few sticks laid horizontally on the ground will help slow the rainwater as it tries to move downhill, and that's a good thing. Too many folks get stuck on the idea that they need to do big things, like swales and berms, but the truth is that every little speed bump in the path of the flow is doing good stuff.

[@backtolatierraMijas]

thank you for your reaction, always good to hear about others practising similar techniques. You are so right about keeping things simple for slowing down the water. We implement those too on our driveway where we get the water from neighbouring gardens . The swales are also valuable in our case as it is our intention to not only slow the water down but also 'store' it in the ground as we have so little rainfall that every drop that falls counts to get us through the long and hot summers.

[@sethr.c1065]

In suburbs here in the southeast of America, several builders are building between wetlands. They use drainage plans which direct water to the street, to the back of the lot, or both ways split in the middle. These houses are too close together for correct drainage, and require constant watering and fertilizing just to maintain grass. They also get swampy spots of still water that can't even be mowed.

[@niekdehaan2214]

You’re doing great by organising this in the South of Spain 🇪🇸

[@ourrockydreamontheelephant4188]

Thats a beautiful garden. Nicely done.

[@backtolatierraMijas]

thank you for your kind comment. I have just had a look at your channel and the work you do there in your part of the world is amazing! Nice to be in touch!

[@indranilbari4477]

🙏🙏🙏🙏....

[@Nihlink]

Step 1. Own property

[@backtolatierraMijas]

Fair point, although this is also valuable information for landscape architects, community gardens, urban developers, politicians, environmentalists or anybody who is curious to learn and share how we can apply natural techniques to prevent many unnecessary 'natural' disasters. Do you agree?

[@estebancorral5151]

No, this is idiotic. You can start on leased land, avoiding high start up cost and local property taxes. The point is you control the land without the additional burdens.

[@mourlyvold64]

@@estebancorral5151 Many roads lead to Rome. Free your mind, brother. Peace.

[@estebancorral5151]

There is a difference between bund and berm.

[@backtolatierraMijas]

Hi again Esteban, would love to hear your insights, please explain (reply by Marina)

[@estebancorral5151]

You have opened the Pandora’s Box. The word “ bund” comes from one of the languages of India. Its meaning has not changed which is raised earth to detain water. Is that what Paul is demonstrating? The word “berm” is from Middle Dutch meaning heaped earth. Permaculture is about purpose. Many permaculture videos that target a Spanish speaking audience are woefully lacking in conveying key concepts merely because of subtleties of English. I will give a word in English…Dovecote. It has historical importance for the entire Iberian Peninsula. Marina, you are excellent, but you can not rest on your laurels. Much erudition awaits you.

[@backtolatierraMijas]

@@estebancorral5151 thanks for this contribution, there is so much to learn. Can you tell me what has led you to watch our videos? Do you share your work/teachings online?

[@estebancorral5151]

@@backtolatierraMijas Farrington Daniels, a genius wrote his book the Direct Uses of the Sun’s Energy. In that book he cited the work of Leon Chaptal of France who was working on recreating an edifice built by the Greeks on the Black Sea. It condensed water from the air using stone to provide condensation surface. In 1978, Bill Mollison and David Holgrem, wrote the Permaculture Handbook which described the some phenomenon and called of condensation trap. I have been interested in Permaculture since then. There is an expatriot Afrikaner who also is doing Permaculture in Spain. Perhaps you should do a collaboration with him. I can picture the three of you together, he speaking in Afrikaans and you two responding in Dutch. I imagine a ball.