I am interested in determining what the best way to manage the water on my old field so I can start producing fruit and nut trees in a northern climate. I have read a lot about swale use in dry climates, but not much about what problem they are best used for in Northern, humid climates. I am also interested in Keyline and other methods that are perhaps less invasive to the soil too. Our problem tends to be waterlogged mushy soil in the spring / early summer, (you cant bring an excavator without a huge mess and lots of chance for getting stuck as its a slope as well). Then hard soil and no rain in the month of august. Too much water then dry as a bone for a month. Our clay is sandy loam with a good amount of clay. Ponds are easy to make in the area. What soil types are swales best used with? If the soil has too much clay, couldn't it prevent the water from soaking and become a pond? it is a large southwest field, high up elevation for the region, good for blueberries (fairly acidic), and fairly compacted from years of bushhogging. Tire ruts fill with water and don't drain until they seem to evaporate. My gut says swaling would be a waste of ground disturbance for very little benefit. Any comments?
Hi Jennifer and welcome, Have you seen Geoff Lawton's video "Harvesting Water", especially the part about the water 'plume'? Here is an excerpt: Complete video: https://permaculturenews.org/2008/04/11/harvesting-water-dvd-released/ You mention clay soil and slope, which would suggest that you get surface water run-off during rain events. Swales are particularly good at slowing water to let it infiltrate under these conditions. Infiltrating water deep into your clay soil would help your plants during dry periods (clay holds water very well) and encourage deeper roots to help loosen compacted soil. By beginning high in the landscape, your water 'plume' would then benefit all the plants downslope during the year. Swales can also be used to feed ponds/dams with their overflow. Even a pond will infiltrate water over time, albeit slowly, and help feed/maintain the plume. Water puddles in tire tracks is due to compaction and you mention your field is compacted due to "brushhogging". Various root plants (daikon radish for one) is good at breaking up compaction and a careful selection/planting of these would begin to heal your field. In my opinion, the most important criterion to indicate swaling is surface water run-off during rain events, knowing that the best place to store water is in the soil.
i am voting no for your question. our place is very flat, we have a lot of clay and some sand. if i were going to do fruit trees here i would reshape to give a large mound or long mound if i were to plant in rows. our water table in the spring is very high. then it declines as the season progresses. my water issues are with flash flooding and it being too wet at times like you say, muddy work and i try to stay off the gardens when it is like that. i now have a berm and ditch to help with the flash flooding issue, as of yet it has not been challenged enough to see how well it works, but some heavy storms the ditch has been used and is doing what it is supposed to be doing. in some areas i plant the deeper rooted cover crops like alfalfa and they encourage worm life and drainage is gradually improved. chop and drop and other mixed uses in the area are on-going. over the next few years i will have strawberries and other crops mixed in. i've done turnips and garlic already and don't recommend garlic in a mixed garden with perennials as it makes it very tough to harvest. so i am now weeding them out as i work my way through doing other things. garlic will take over an area. daikon radishes have done well this past season. i eat the sprouts, the rest become worm food eventually. the deer have not eaten them that i can tell.