RCD Expands Rainwater Catchment in Green Valley Creek Watershed
The Green Valley Watershed community gets tooled up for continued drought with rainwater catchment systems.
Gold Ridge RCD and its partners are designing and developing eight roof-to-tank rain catchment systems, at the Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery and at seven rural residential properties. At least three of these systems will be constructed this summer.
Having an alternative source of water for irrigation, livestock watering, and other necessary outdoor uses is a huge comfort to residents whose water resources are uncertain. These properties will have the benefit of thousands of gallons of rainwater, captured in the rainy season, ready for use in the dry season. Transitioning their summer water-demand from shallow wells and in-stream pumps to winter rainwater means thousands more gallons are left during drier days in the stream for Green Valley Watershed's fish and aquatic ecosystems. Allowing streams to reserve water in the summer also contributes to better hydrology throughout the watershed, with long term benefits to its human residents.
With additional insight provided by a
watershed-wide hydrological analysis
by O'Connor Environmental, Inc., Gold Ridge RCD works to support the Green Valley community in developing tools to better manage their water resources. Projects are funded and supported through the USDA's NRCS, the Coho Partnership, local partners and landowners, the Sonoma County Water Agency, the National Fish and Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the Department of Water Resources.
|