Implementation of Swales at Implementation of Swales at Ithaca College Organic Ithaca College Organic GardenGarden

Chris Gordon, Lauren Krug, Jenny Chris Gordon, Lauren Krug, Jenny MooreMoore

What is a Swale?

A swale is a slight depression that runs with A swale is a slight depression that runs with the contour of the land and is level along its the contour of the land and is level along its length. length.

It can be deep or shallow, or even under It can be deep or shallow, or even under gravel and turned into a path.gravel and turned into a path.

Why Swales?

Great alternative landscaping methodGreat alternative landscaping method

Reduces run-offReduces run-off

Slow it, Spread it, Sink IT!!Slow it, Spread it, Sink IT!!

Slow it, Spread it, Sink it

How Swales Work

Fostering Sustainable Habits

Promoting Sustainable BehaviorsPromoting Sustainable Behaviors

Reaching a Specific Target AudienceReaching a Specific Target Audience

Encountering Barriers and Finding Solutions to Encountering Barriers and Finding Solutions to Get Around themGet Around them

Behaviors Promoted

Capturing run-off water in the ground for use Capturing run-off water in the ground for use instead of following the typical practice of getting instead of following the typical practice of getting the water off-site as soon as possible, to keep it the water off-site as soon as possible, to keep it from eroding landscape and poolingfrom eroding landscape and pooling

In our case, our goal was to slow down and In our case, our goal was to slow down and disperse the water run-off into the garden that was disperse the water run-off into the garden that was causing the ground to be extremely wet a majority causing the ground to be extremely wet a majority of the timeof the time

Non-traditional, sustainable landscapingNon-traditional, sustainable landscaping

Target Audience

Ithaca College Organic GardenIthaca College Organic Garden

Ithaca College Grounds CrewIthaca College Grounds Crew

Ithaca College AdministrationIthaca College Administration

Barriers Encountered

The community outreach portion of our project did The community outreach portion of our project did not go quite as planned due to a small turnout at not go quite as planned due to a small turnout at the workday, despite numerous announcements to the workday, despite numerous announcements to various organizations on campus that would be various organizations on campus that would be interested.interested.

Due to impending winter weather, we were Due to impending winter weather, we were pressed for time to get the swales completed. We pressed for time to get the swales completed. We also experienced heavy rainfall immediately after also experienced heavy rainfall immediately after their creation which caused some repairs to be their creation which caused some repairs to be needed.needed.

Location

IC Organic GardenIC Organic Garden

Why?Why?

Garden is too wet Garden is too wet due to its location due to its location at the bottom of a at the bottom of a hill that catches a hill that catches a lot of run-offlot of run-off

Poor drainage, Poor drainage, does not allow does not allow water to exit area water to exit area easilyeasily

How To…Build a Swale

BasicsBasics

Start at the top of the watershedStart at the top of the watershed

Measure contour linesMeasure contour lines

Stagger the basinsStagger the basins

Bigger rather than smallerBigger rather than smaller

Top of the berm must be level and Top of the berm must be level and compactedcompacted

Basin needs to be level, but do NOT Basin needs to be level, but do NOT compactcompact

SpilwaySpilway

Low point of the bermLow point of the berm

2/3 the height of the berm2/3 the height of the berm

Water Holding Capacity

FormulasFormulas

Area = 1/2 x Width x DepthArea = 1/2 x Width x Depth

Volume of water-holding capacity= Area x LengthVolume of water-holding capacity= Area x Length

Volume = 1/2 x Width x Depth x LengthVolume = 1/2 x Width x Depth x Length

Water Holding Capacity= 3675 inWater Holding Capacity= 3675 in33 = 306.25 ft = 306.25 ft33

SeedingWinter RyeWinter Rye

Anchors the berm to hold it together to prevent

Anchors the berm to hold it together to prevent

erosion erosion

Results•Swales were effective for the most part

•Shovel points to breakage in berm on top swale after first rain storm

•Reinforced with more soil, compacted and planted with winter rye to strengthen berm

View from bottom of garden

View From top of garden

Plans For the Future

Ensuring that the basin is level so the water Ensuring that the basin is level so the water drains properlydrains properly

Further planting of the berms to ensure Further planting of the berms to ensure stabilitystability

Possibly adding two more swales above the Possibly adding two more swales above the existing two swales to regulate run-off more existing two swales to regulate run-off more efficientlyefficiently

Thanks To…

Karryn Olson-RamanujanKarryn Olson-Ramanujan

IC Organic GardenIC Organic Garden

IC Grounds CrewIC Grounds Crew

Brad Lancaster Brad Lancaster

Rainwater Harvesting aka “The Bible”Rainwater Harvesting aka “The Bible”

I Love SWALES!!!