Christoph Ulbig, B.Sc.

Ecological Department Tamera

Water Retention Landscapes

Applied solutions for a regenerative water management

Water Retention Landscapes are systems for the restoration of the full water cycle by retaining the water in the areas where it falls as rain.

A water retention landscape is fully realized

when no more rainwater leaves the land

but rather all water flowing away comes from springs.

Map of Iberian Peninsula with marked location of the study area Source: Google maps

The Heritage

SoilsShallow Low carbon content

WaterHigh surface run-off Low infiltrationDepletion of aquifer

VegetationOld trees, low natural regenerationLow diversityPioneer plants and bushes

Goals of the WRL in Tamera

Regenerative water supply for a settlement of 500-1000 people

Model solutions for regional autonomy structures for:

Water

Food

Energy

Create habitats for vegetation and wildlife

Elements of Water Retention Landscapes

Ponds/Lakes

Terraces/Slopes

Swales

Afforestations on contour

Drinking water well

Irrigation reservoirs

Irrigation pipes and channels

Swale gardens & Orchards

Managed grazing with horses

Soil preparation with pigs

Sewage treatment systems

Urban rain water management

Construction site of a Water Retention Space:Building the earth dam

Tamera, SouthlakeAugust 2011

Simplified dam structure

Building Terraces with topsoil from the valleys to slow down rainwater and stop erosion.

Tamera, SouthlakeJuly 2011

Same spotMarch 2012

What we have done...

4 larger Retention spaces >0.5 ha

19 smaller retention spaces <0.5ha

4 irrigation ponds

1.5 ha terraces with irrigation

>2000 fruit trees & bushes planted

40 ha afforestation

Vegetable seed autonomy

20 ha managed grazing

3 ha cereals

3 ha olive and fruit orchards

2 ha eucalyptus forest in transition

30 ha older cork oak forest in restoration to natural forest ecosystem

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Recharge of AquiferLevels of open wells in Tamera catchments

Next steps

Integration of sheep and chicken in management

Application of keyline principles

Swales for fruit trees and olives

Wildlife corridors

Natural forest rehabilitation

Design of creeks

Productive wetlands (sewage treatment)

Showcase urban solutions

Road and pathway design

Aquaculture

Research & Documentation

Thank you…

2005

2007

2010

2012

Symptoms of incorrect Water and Landscape Management

• Drying out the landscape– Droughts– Floods– Fires– Erosion & landslides– Desertification– Sea level rising– Ground water table decreasing– Sweet water shortage– Climate change– Poverty and rural exodus

Principles of Water Retention Landscapes

• Decentralized structures• Slow down (Retention), Reduce of water runoff• Allow the water to infiltrate• Aquifer recharge• Increase of soil moisture• Building of top soil & humus• Increase of biomass and diversity• Avoidance of hot spots (cities, parking lots…)

Methods & Tools

• Earth works– Terraces– Swales– Lakes/Ponds– Subsoil loosening– Infiltration– Reduction of sealed surfaces (impervious surfaces)

• Soil building and shading– Afforestation– Green Manure– Mulching– Animals– Irrigation

Benefits

• Restoration of rivers & aquifers• Decentral availability of fresh water • Decrease of infrastructure damage• Decline of energy use for pumping & cooling• Increase of agriculture security • Lowering of weather extremes (regional)

Sources & Links

• Sepp Holzer www.krameterhof.at• Buckminster Fuller Challenge http://challenge.bfi.org • Callum Coats (Viktor Schauberger) http://de.scribd.com/doc/50123307/Viktor-

Schauberger-Living-Energies-With-Callum-Coats

• Peter Donovan http://managingwholes.com• Allan Savory www.savoryinstitute.com • Michal Kravčík www.waterparadigm.org• Brad Lancaster www.harvestingrainwater.com• John D. Liu http://eempc.org• Millán Millán www.ceam.es• Yadu N. Pokhrel http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/

vaop/ncurrent/abs/ngeo1476.html

• Rajendra Singh www.tarunbharatsangh.org• Bernd Mueller www.tamera.org