- Water conservation - this would entail altering topographical features of the land to prevent mass runoff of rainfall. I am experimenting with this by digging swales, altering runoff patterns and, by means of creating the swales, digging up the upper six to ten inches of hard, compacted soil to allow water capture and soil re-hydration.
- Seed banking - when the soil is dug up to create swales, this creates a broken surface that allows native and introduced seeds to fall into the crevices and remain hidden until natural germination can take place.
- Watercourse restoration - by utilizing techniques pioneered by Viktor Schauberger, it is possible to create 'slower' watercourses that prevent flash floods and allow streams to deposit more water in the vicinity of the stream channel rather than let it flow to low spots and create mineral salt flats.
- Soil restoration - This is the natural outcome of water conservation and seed banking. Most desert soils are flat, compacted and support very limited vegetation with (normally) shallow root penetration. The practice of digging swales and creating seed banks allows for much greater soil penetration over time, restoring beneficial fungal environments and worm tillage.
- Canopy restoration - Usually referred to as 're-forestation', this entails the re-planting of tree cover (oaks, conifers, spruces and others) throughout desert ranges in areas that have soil restoration and water restoration practices in effect, so these trees can grow to maturity with minimal intervention (except for initial protection from wildlife).
- Climate restoration - Part of Viktor Schauberger's observations, involving tree and vegetative cover cooling the soil (cool soil absorbs more water than sun-heated soil). When there is more tree canopy interspersed with grasses, low water use crops and native plants, this creates an electrical connection between earth and sky along with canopy aerosol output which aids in cloud formation leading to increased rainfall.
- Aquifer restoration - Mountain tributaries emerging from various ranges and highlands would have increased water flow that should eventually be year-round. That would greatly improve water deposition into existing aquifers. Assuming increased rainfall as a result of the above practices, reliance on pumping groundwater would naturally decrease.
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John C. Graffio John Graffio, creator of this website, is currently building an experimental research farm in Arizona featuring nopal cactus (opuntia ficus indica) and other arid crops in order to demonstrate that low water use crops can feed both people and livestock. |