permaculture

["Steve Diver" <steved@ncatark.uark.edu>]

(Permaculture list fyi, I am forwarding this informative post from
the Sanet list, written by Chris Alenson in Australia.  Keyline is 
a regular part of many permaculture design courses.)

(I like the picture that is emerging from these Austrialian posts as 
to just how integrated Keyline/Centaur design can be in whole farm 
design....water management, soil building, tree plantings, contour 
plowing...... worms!!!!!) 

Steve Diver


------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From:          "Alenson, Chris CJ" <Alenson.Chris.CJ@bhp.com.au>
To:            FranksFarm@aol.com
Cc:            "'sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu'" <sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu>
Subject:       RE: Water for Your farm(P.A. Yeomans)
Date:          Thu, 18 Jun 1998 15:03:38 +1000

Hi Frank,

You have hit on an interesting land and water management strategy. Key
line management is one of the great unsung land management tools
available to landowners. Steve described the system reasonably well, but
it does encompass a lot more than just siting a dam/pond/reservoir. As
you suggest it is a total holistic approach to managing water and
resources on the farm as well including soil improvement through
judicious use of chisel ploughs or non soil inverting implements.

Key line is also about siting roads, fences, tree plantations, and even
homesteads. In Australia which either gets very little rain or almost
too much in some areas this system allows for water falling on the
property to be utilised through storage or through absorption into the
soil. It minimises loss of water off paddocks, roads, farmsteads, ie.
the whole property, which may cause erosion.

To give you a brief illustration of a dairy farming property here in
Victoria, Australia that is based on key line principles.

A main reservoir based at the top of the property on a key line has a
large valve controlled outlet pipe which feeds aqueducts that have been
built on the contour around the property. When irrigation of a paddock
is required water is released from the main reservoir and runs along the
aqueduct. A 'flag'( a canvas barrier)  is inserted at the point on the
reservoir that halts the flow of water. It builds up and flood irrigates
the paddock required. This may only take a short time. Paddock design is
based around these contour drains which in turn supply the irrigation
water.

By using this system the farm manages to look like an oasis in an area
which has undergone long drought periods. This certified organic farm
also has very sound management practices of chisel ploughing, rotational
stocking, remineralisation and general soil building/fertility
practices. The end result is lush mineral rich pastures full of
earthworms and dairy cattle that produce well and have very few health
or breeding problems. Trees are planted in corridors along aqueducts and
link up with other revegetation areas. The farm is a model of what sound
land management practices can provide.

Frank, rather than going into detail describing how to  find the key
points in order to determine the key line(as a consultant it would be
quite unprofessional of me to offer that sort of advice from umpteen
miles away) I recommend that you get hold of the book and if questions
still remain contact Ken Yeomans via his contact address on his web
page.

I would recommend anyone interested in this subject to have a look at
the very good web site and get hold of a copy of  '"Water for Every Farm
- Yeomans Keyline Plan"'  if more detailed information is required.
Thanks to Steve for giving an Aussie land management genus a plug.
Regards,

Chris Alenson
Technical Adviser
Organic Advisory Service
Organic Retailers & Growers Association of Australia

        ----------
From:  FranksFarm@aol.com[SMTP:FranksFarm@aol.com]
Sent:  Tuesday, 16 June 1998 12:28:am
To:  sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu;
permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu
Subject:  Re: Water for Your farm(P.A. Yeomans)

Hello,

I've just finshed reading a piece on PA. Yeoman's pioneering
work on Land Care that features his use of the Key Line System 
to manage, and abetwater retention and utilization on the farm.

It sounds like just the thing I'd like to integrate into an holistic farm 
plan for the farm I'm purchasing. The farms contains a private valley
ringed by forest on three sides running down to the bottoms and a wide
shallow creek.  There's over 300 acre sof such woods so there's a lot of water
on the farm. I'd like to use that resource wisely.

Anyone familiar with this system, using it .? I'd like to hear
coments,details o the system. Is it expensive to install the dams/ponds 
/locking
systems needed?

How does one determine  Keyline Point? How does one figure out
best placement of dams/ponds.?

TIA:) frank 

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--
steved@ncatark.uark.edu