Why harvest rainwater? Especially after we had a good rainy season last winter and the drought is officially over in CA?

Rainwater harvesting is the process of capturing rain and making the most of it as close as possible to where it falls.  By harvesting rainwater on the land within the soil and vegetation, or in tanks that will later irrigate the land, it is possible to control erosion, reduce flooding, and minimize water pollution. 

• It's about slowing, spreading, and sinking the water, to stop it from rushing past us, picking up topsoil and debris and hurling down to the ocean. 
• It's about building a biologically rich soil sponge that helps to sequester carbon, making a shift in climate disruption.
• It's about creating beautiful gardens of water wise plants that attract pollinators- birds, bees and butterflies.

You can collect 600 gallons of water from a 1000 sq ft roof in a 1” storm. Directing it into the soil to nurture water wise plants, you may be able to delay turning your irrigation on for  a few months after the rainy season ends- if not the first year you harvest the rain, certainly in subsequent years.

Visuals for this class will include projects in the Carpinteria area.  We will share the location of some nearby sites where you can see rain gardens in action, including at the Carpinteria Valley Water District, where Sweetwater Collaborative did a demonstration garden a year ago. We will also show rainwater harvesting principles and other projects in the greater Santa Barbara area.

Suggested donation is $10/person or $15/couple. Please pay in cash or check at the door. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

For more information, contact Barbara Wishingrad at bwishingrad@gmail.com or 805-403-4566