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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: Homestead List <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Homestead] Rainwater collection revisited
  • Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:13:07 -0500

In making plans to try to grow rice, I have been been looking at my water catchment practices. I currently have 2 tanks that store a total of 600+ gallons. I have capacity for additional tanks, 2 or maybe three of them- I just need to locate some tanks and gutters.

If I get a 27 ft pool(I put a wanted ad on Freecycle this evening), and if I fill that area 4" deep to grow rice, that is about 1500 gallons of water. A foot of water is just under 5000 gallons of water.
My well doesn't have that capacity-or it might, but I won't try it. For me to be able to flood a rice paddy, I need rainwater, and I need to collect more than I currently do. 5 tanks of 300 gallons would be 1500, so I need 3 more tanks. They say that ideally you can collect 0.62 gallons per square foot of collection surface per inch of rainfall can be collected. If I set up my tanks, I should be able to fill up my tanks in a thunderstorm that drops 2" of rain. Those are fairly common here in the Spring and Summer.

So, I need 3 additional water tanks-they are anywhere from $35 to $75 each, and less than 50 feet of gutter. I'll ask for gutters on freecycle.

I would appreciate it if someone would check my math on these calculations as well as the other rice growing calculations. It's been a long day. I estimated some things, tried to be conservative in those estimates.

If anyone has any comments, ideas or rice growing information, Sage and I would appreciate it. I am posting what I learn here.

Bev
--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda




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