Wikipedia provides a good definition: Swales as used in permaculture are designed to slow and capture runoff by spreading it horizontally across the landscape (along an elevation contour line), facilitating runoff infiltration into the soil. This type of swale is created by digging a ditch on contour and piling the dirt on the downhill side of the ditch to create a berm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swale_(landform)
In the December of 2015, we laid out a swale with a bucket water level. Here's a link to building one: https://www.buildeazy.com/waterlevel.php
After layout we pushed the initial swale berm with our tractor.
We leveled the swale off using the tractor and by hand raking.
After the first heavy rains, we were able to check the layout to make sure the swale ditch was holding water evenly. It was important during all phases of construction to keep our live stock from trampling and compacting the swale berm.
The swale berm was fenced off.
All hay was fed up hill of the swale.
The hay and livestock dung accumulated.
And accumulated
As the 2017 rains arrived we could start to see the effects of the bale grazing and swale construction.
The swale was doing its job of preventing erosion and capturing the nutrient rich runoff.
Now, in the summer of 2018, in the the middle of a severe to extreme drought, we have 8-10 foot tall Kiowa and Natchez blackberries and a multitude of native plants growing without any input from us.
Typical Kiowa cane
Typical Natchez cane
For comparison, here's a Natchez cane growing in our garden under care. Berry plants growing untended are growing as well or better than those in out garden.
Huge pokeberries
Look at the stems on these pokeberry plants.
Swales have worked well for us. We hope you'll give them a try.
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