Whether you have a small or large footprint, swales are an excellent tool to harness and control water flow.
Your climate may be dry or wet. You may have very little water, too much or something in between. This simple earthwork can benefit you no matter what your environment or footprint size.
Swales are just simple ditches on the contour of a slope in a yard or other open space. They capture and hold water for slow release. Phil Williams has been working with swales and permaculture for many years. As Phil says,
“The purpose [of swales] is to rehydrate landscapes, add texture and microclimates, and to be used as a tree growing system.”
Phil mainly describes larger scale projects, but swales can be tailored to whatever size space you have.
