The swale mound should always be planted with ‘something’ soon as it’s piled up on the lower edge. Needless to say, it should not be compacted. When it’s still fluffy, it can be sown with a pioneer ground cover or legume crop. The piled soil, as at pointReturn bereft of any worthwhile topsoil, is likely to be infertile. So a pioneer crop serves as a green manure that can be chopped and dropped before it seeds. The residual roots become feed stock for soil animals and the dropped biomass becomes mulch. It may then be ready to be planted out with chosen tree crops.
If on the other hand, the swale is being dug on a fertile property, the topsoil is carefully removed and placed on the upper edge. Digging and piling up of the undersoil proceeds as before. Finally, the reserved topsoil is transferred on top of the mound, created on the lower edge. It may then be sown with a pioneer crop.
Getting the swale mound quickly covered has three benefits. One, cover crop roots anchor the soil against erosion and prevent compaction. Two, the soil is fertilised naturally and quickly. And three, when trees are planted out, the mound comes readily mulched to retain moisture.
It’s been just over 3 months since my affair with swales began. In that time three swales have emerged spread over a 3 acre area. They take up 0.2 acres and have a total capacity to trap 400,000 litres of rainwater, every time they are filled. And they have been filled once already. They constitute about 20% of the planned swale work. As I write, my heart and the pond are full; the road ahead looms clear. Swales are the way to go and reach water security at pointReturn.
Dear DV,
Don’t know how it may help, but in watershed developments, CCTs need to be done on entire catchment area of watershed to get full effect. So, in your case, is it possible for you to do 1-2 swales on the west side outside of your property? The percolated water will benefit the borewell.
– Kedar
Dear DV, Thanks for the article. It is like a new year eve’s gift.
Dear DV, thanks for such a insight.. I have approached Ringo to check if he can visit my farm and help me in planning.. this is a great help and I badly needed this.
sorry, kedar
i have reset it as ‘public’, a moment ago
-dv
Hello DV,
Can not see the slideshow. Getting message that “This video is private”. How can I see it?
– Kedar
Dear DV
Wishing you and the team at point return a happy and pleasant new year. On reading, how can one not fall in love with swales? If Only a marginal farmer( if I may use that word)be educated in the virtues of swale, that would be more effective than policy makers groping around committees to implement. Thanx a lot for en lighting. chandrakant
Dear DV,
It is amazing how you get the strength to do such wonderful things. Obviously it is your love of nature that is making you do all these things. I wish you all the best for the New Year and may the swales give you all the joy that you wish for. Hats off boss
sarath