Our Statement

At one time or another, we have all experienced a big rain that leaves streets flooded and sometimes flowing. But what happens to all this rainwater? Will we ever see it again? Usually, runoff makes its way down the city streets and into storm drains, picking up all kinds of pollutants and garbage along the way. From here, the water flows through a series of pipes until it reaches a canal, lake, river, reservoir, or ocean. However, a practice called "rainwater harvesting" makes use of rainwater and runoff so that it doesn't end up in storm drains where we may never see it again. This blog is dedicated to educating students at the University of Arizona about rainwater harvesting, especially how it pertains to and is used by the University itself.

Wasted Runoff.

Here in Tucson, and especially in the University area, it seems that during rains, the streets quickly gain water and it just sits until the sun comes out and the water evaporates. Little do people know, there are ways to make use of this rainwater so that it is beneficial. RAINWATER HARVESTING is the gathering, or accumulating and storing, of rainwater. It's not only one of the oldest known gardening methods, dating back to the beginnings of agriculture, but it is still used today all around the world. The water gathered from rainwater harvesting may be used to water landscape, maintain pool water levels, do laundry, and flush toilets. It can also be used for a variety of other things, like drinking, if filtered properly.

Reflecting...

Why harvest rainwater?
1. limits use of municipal water
2. has a ton of uses
3. anyone can do it
4. free!!!
5. sustainable
6. naturally pure

Up on the Rooftops.

Gutters are a great way to collect water from rooftops of buildings and parking garages. Here at the U of A, gutters are everywhere, and most of the time, you can see how they are manipulated to water the surrounding vegetation and landscape. Sometimes, filter mechanisms are placed in gutters to purify the water for certain uses.

Cisterns.

Another way to collect rainwater is the use of cisterns. Cisterns also allow water to be stored and used later. The two cisterns pictured are located at the UA Visitor center. They collect water from roof gutters and use it to irrigate native landscape which has been re-contoured to take advantage of rainwater harvesting and keep water off of University Blvd.

Retention Terraces.

Here, these concrete slabs look like they are merely benches for sitting with trees for shade, but they are actually part of another rainwater harvesting technique. The series of terraces at Eddie Lynch Pavilion at the McKale Center is designed to allow for the retention of water and allow overflow from one terrace to the next, providing water to these Mesquite trees and surrounding vegetation and keeping it off the Mall.

Catchment.

A “catchment” is any large surface that can capture and/or carry water to where it can be used immediately or stored. They can be driveways, roofs, sidewalks, lawns, and so on. Rainwater runoff is directed from these "catchments" to plants, trees, or lawns instead of being wasted and flooding streets.

Soaked.

Berms are a very common technique of water harvesting around individual trees. The raised earth around the plant allows for the retention of water so that the plant can soak up the water. Similarly, contour basins work to capture runoff so it doesn't escape into the streets. Contour basins can be seen at the South side of UA's AME building just across Speedway on Mountain.