Water storage solutions in a drought

[JamesHW]

One possibility for water storage is the modular concept that involves a hole lined with a waterproof liner and the volume held up by plastic components such as milk crate type boxes or plastic pipes. The apparent advantage is not needing a structural tank and flexibility in placement and size.

 

[fried1765]

Have you have kept records on the static water level in your well? If so - then the first step is to see what the static water level is now. Maybe all your concern is for naught.

Much ado about nothing ?

 

[thebmrust]

What about an outdoor natural swimming pool? It’s an obvious above ground pond but it might be a way to bypass the insanely restrictive Cali regulations.

 

[5030]

You probably know this from your rain barrels, but rainwater tends to have lots of sediment and debris in it.

I eliminate most of that going into my IBC totes from the gutters with screens that you can buy at any box store that fit over the downspout and I added stainless screens in each one. They slant towards the overflow opening so they self clean. Work really well. Very little sediment gets in the totes.

SOP for me is to always open the gate valve at the bottom for a few seconds just to get anything out and my pressure washer has a cannister stainless steel screen on the inlet to catch anything anyway. Pressure washers don't like sediment in the water, screws up the ceramic pistons. 7 years on this one so far. Just change the pump and engine oil every year. Keep in mine that pressure washer pumps don't take regular motor oil, the take NON DETERGENT hydraulic oil. Motor oil will kill a pressure washer pump.

I guess having minerals in the ground water is still better than none at all.

 

[ultrarunner]

Timely Thread especially for many in the West...

Know many came up dry at great expense... like 40k with nothing to show.

Thanks again - really helps to think through my options. BTW - yesterday I contacted a tank supplier - they are apparently having a run on tanks - prices increasing and at least an eight week wait for any delivery.

Of course they are... just remember the toilet paper run when rolls stolen right out of institutional holders...

Destroy a $35 holder for a half used roll of TP

 

[5030]

Destroy a $35 holder for a half used roll of TP

What leaves are for as it your finger...lol

 

[ultrarunner]

Good water and lots of it is what attracted me to the Pacific Northwest and specifically Olympia area.

As we head for another round of restrictions just how many more rock gardens will be created so kids have rocks to throw?

0ne of my friends has tanks totaling 20k gallons for irrigation... twice now he has found valves opened and all water gone... he is just glad tanks not damaged.

I leveled the pads and helped with placement using the 110 as a backstop when rolling tank down trail... worked great.

For the shale hillside pads the Deere 110 made quick work and the BX23 superb for leveling...

 

[Larry Caldwell]

One possibility for water storage is the modular concept that involves a hole lined with a waterproof liner and the volume held up by plastic components such as milk crate type boxes or plastic pipes. The apparent advantage is not needing a structural tank and flexibility in placement and size.

The problem with water storage for irrigation is the massive amount required. If you run one 3 gpm rainbird 4 hours a day for 60 days, you need about 45,000 gallons.

Capturing rainwater from your roof, parking lot or driveway​

in many parts of the world, capturing rainwater from roof tops is common. Check to see if a permit is required in your state.

Some useful figures and calculations for rain water catchment:

Inches rainfall x Square feet of catchment area x 0.625 = gallons of water captured
The 0.625 Factor = (7.5 gallons per cubic foot of water / 12-inch depth per cubic foot = 0.625)

Example:

30-inches per year is equivalent to 18.75 gallons per of water
collected from each square foot of surface area.

30-inches of rainfall collected from the roof of a 1,600 square
foot home = 30,000 gallons water

30-inches of rainfall collected from the roof of a 2,500 square
foot home = 46,875 gallons water

Storage tank capacity will depend on total rainfall, surface area
collected, seasonal rainfall patterns, and seasonal water use patterns.

 

[beowulf]

Larry, regarding the rainwater capture - the amount your post references that you can capture is really interesting. I may work on that for next year as I have four buildings I could draw rain water from - if only I can figure out a way to get all of those connected to a single line and to a storage unit of some kind. That would have to be a really big storage unit though.

An aside: I recall a post on here a while back discussing how it was illegal to capture your own rain water as it was owned by the state. I think the state was Colorado. It seemed that the state's concern - and thus the law - was that that water was needed as runoff for rivers and such.

 

[ultrarunner]

Some places you have to incorporate some capture if I understand and parts of AZ might be included.