Just as they do on the farm, conservation practices on nonagricultural land can help increase food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, control soil
erosion, reduce sediment in waterways, conserve water and improve water quality, inspire a stewardship ethic, and beautify the landscape. Backyard Conservation shows you how conservation practices that help conserve and improve natural resources on agricultural land across the country can be adapted for use around your home. These practices help the environment and can make your yard more attractive and enjoyable. Most backyard conservation practices are easy to use. America's farmers and ranchers have been using these practices successfully for decades.
Whether you have rural acreage, a suburban yard, or a city lot, you can help protect the environment and add beauty and interest to your surroundings. Ten conservation practices have been scaled down for homeowners.
For Backyard Conservation Tip Sheets, click on the files below or visit https://prod.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/newsroom/features/?cid=nrcs143_023574
erosion, reduce sediment in waterways, conserve water and improve water quality, inspire a stewardship ethic, and beautify the landscape. Backyard Conservation shows you how conservation practices that help conserve and improve natural resources on agricultural land across the country can be adapted for use around your home. These practices help the environment and can make your yard more attractive and enjoyable. Most backyard conservation practices are easy to use. America's farmers and ranchers have been using these practices successfully for decades.
Whether you have rural acreage, a suburban yard, or a city lot, you can help protect the environment and add beauty and interest to your surroundings. Ten conservation practices have been scaled down for homeowners.
For Backyard Conservation Tip Sheets, click on the files below or visit https://prod.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/newsroom/features/?cid=nrcs143_023574
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Conserve Money and Water by Using Rain Barrels
Why Save Rain Water?
An easy way to conserve water and money is by using a rain barrel. During summer months, a rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of water. That's a lot of free water! Only ¼ inch of rain can fill a 60 gallon barrel. Multiply the square feet of your roof by 600 and divide by 1,000. One inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof will create about 600 gallons of runoff. Sixty gallons from a rain barrel can cover about 100 square feet with 1 inch of water. Rain barrel water can go a long way in offsetting garden water needs in the spring and summer months when water consumption increases anywhere between 20 and 200%. Capturing rain water in a barrel before it hits the ground decreases storm water runoff into urban storm drains.
Rain Barrel Installation Tips
Plastic barrels (55/60 gallon size) are generally easier to modify and use as rain barrels as opposed to metal barrels. Keep in mind that UV rays have a harder time penetrating dark colors like dark greens, browns, grays, and blues. These colors are best for rain barrels because they won't easily support the algae growth.
Level Surface: Safety first! A flat, level surface for placement of your water barrel is a prime safety consideration. A full rain water barrel can weigh in excess of 300 lbs. - you don't want the rain water barrel to tip or fall over.
Downspout: Once you position your rain barrel, you will need to remove a section of your gutter downspout to redirect water into your barrel.
Overflow Water: Make sure the overflow valve or pipe in your water barrel is positioned or pointed away from your home's foundation. The overflow hole on the rain barrel has to be below the mosquito screen.
Winter Storage: Empty or drain your rain barrel, remove spigot, run-off hose, and drain plug before storing for the winter. Store your barrel in a protected/indoor area. If the rain barrel must remain outside, turn it upside down and secure it to prevent animal/child intrusion or water accumulation. During cold weather, water can freeze, expand, and potentially crack the barrel wall unless the barrel is protected from water accumulation.
Many houses have a number of downspouts to choose from. In this case, choose the downspout closest to where you will use the rainwater. For example, if you plan to use the water in your garden, position the barrel near the back of the house where it's close to the garden. Some houses don't have gutters and downspouts. Rain barrel enthusiasts have been known to install a gutter only on one side of the house, just so they can fill their barrels. You can even use a very inexpensive gutter and downspout during the rainy season, then uninstall it and store it in winter.
Once you've decided where to place the rain barrel under a downspout, make sure the surface of the ground is basically level to avoid leakage. Build a solid foundation for the barrel using wood or cinder blocks. Elevated barrels improve the gravity flow of water. Be sure to leave an open space under the spigot to accommodate filling watering cans. Determine where the barrel's water overflow pipe will be positioned (always away from your home's foundation). You can link barrels together to add water capacity for large gardens.
To route the water from the downspout to the barrel, you can 1) terminate the downspout a couple of inches above the barrel and install an elbow fitting at the end pointing into the barrel, 2) configure the downspout so it enters all the way into the barrel, or 3) use a special fitting called the
downspout diverter to transport water from inside the downspout, through a tube to the barrel.
Keeping the Gunk Out
The most basic way to keep debris, insects and children out of your rain barrel is to make sure it has a tight fitting lid. Second most important is using a debris screens to stop leaves and other tree parts from traveling through the downspout and into the barrel. A debris-clogged overflow tube could force water out the top of the barrel creating a destructive puddle right beside your foundation. Debris in the spigot could slow/stop water extraction. Debris screens can be installed at the end of the downspout or at the barrel top. You can even include a filtering pad on top of the barrel screen to soften the sound of rain and filter out smaller pieces of debris. Screens will have to be checked & cleaned as required.
Mosquitoes & Rain Barrels
Have an overflow hole on the rain barrel to keep the water level below the mosquito screen. Mosquitoes can breed in the water between the screen and the top of the water surface if the rain barrel is full to the top.
Cover the rain barrel top with fine screening. Not only will this keep mosquitoes from getting into your rain barrel, but it will also screen out leaves, pollen and other debris that could contaminate your water. Secure plastic mesh window screening over your rain barrel's openings. Add cheesecloth
on top of the screen as an additional filter. Leave the lid on your rain barrel at all times, harvesting water from the spigot at the bottom of the rain barrel. When you open the lid, you run the risk of allowing contaminants inside the barrel.
A screen just below the lid is highly recommended in addition to screening above the lid. Affix the screen mesh to the underside of your rain barrel lid
using waterproof tape or glue. If your lid is not removable, another mosquito screen should be installed above the lid opening. Inspect the rain barrel and screens on a regular basis for signs of damage or mosquito invasion. If your screens rip (which is unlikely), you will need to replace them.
Be sure to empty all watering cans after each use and store them upside down or protected from rainwater accumulation. Any stagnant water not screened is a potential area for mosquitoes to lay eggs in.
You can use small portions of mosquito dunks. Buy the product from most garden supply stores. Mosquito dunks are bacterial larvicide that kills mosquito larvae. These dunks slowly release an active ingredient, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), that kills mosquitoes for 30 days or more. They are safe for your plants and don't harm pets or people. Check the label on the larvicide; it may not be suitable for edible produce.
Pitchers, Hoses & Spigots
Opening the barrel lid and scooping out water with a pitcher, bucket or other container is the basic method for using rainwater. It's much more convenient to attach a spigot near the barrel bottom and use gravity to flow water out. The spigot should be placed just above the barrel bottom or higher to allow any debris to settle along the barrel bottom. Attaching a hose (with an end valve) to the spigot allows easy watering of flower pots and the garden directly. Rain barrel owners often install a small electric motor to promote better water flow over long distances. A soaker hose can be attached for continuous watering of your flower beds.
That's all there is to it. A rain barrel is a very basic tool anyone can use to gain the high-impact benefits of capturing and distributing rainwater.
An easy way to conserve water and money is by using a rain barrel. During summer months, a rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of water. That's a lot of free water! Only ¼ inch of rain can fill a 60 gallon barrel. Multiply the square feet of your roof by 600 and divide by 1,000. One inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof will create about 600 gallons of runoff. Sixty gallons from a rain barrel can cover about 100 square feet with 1 inch of water. Rain barrel water can go a long way in offsetting garden water needs in the spring and summer months when water consumption increases anywhere between 20 and 200%. Capturing rain water in a barrel before it hits the ground decreases storm water runoff into urban storm drains.
Rain Barrel Installation Tips
Plastic barrels (55/60 gallon size) are generally easier to modify and use as rain barrels as opposed to metal barrels. Keep in mind that UV rays have a harder time penetrating dark colors like dark greens, browns, grays, and blues. These colors are best for rain barrels because they won't easily support the algae growth.
Level Surface: Safety first! A flat, level surface for placement of your water barrel is a prime safety consideration. A full rain water barrel can weigh in excess of 300 lbs. - you don't want the rain water barrel to tip or fall over.
Downspout: Once you position your rain barrel, you will need to remove a section of your gutter downspout to redirect water into your barrel.
Overflow Water: Make sure the overflow valve or pipe in your water barrel is positioned or pointed away from your home's foundation. The overflow hole on the rain barrel has to be below the mosquito screen.
Winter Storage: Empty or drain your rain barrel, remove spigot, run-off hose, and drain plug before storing for the winter. Store your barrel in a protected/indoor area. If the rain barrel must remain outside, turn it upside down and secure it to prevent animal/child intrusion or water accumulation. During cold weather, water can freeze, expand, and potentially crack the barrel wall unless the barrel is protected from water accumulation.
Many houses have a number of downspouts to choose from. In this case, choose the downspout closest to where you will use the rainwater. For example, if you plan to use the water in your garden, position the barrel near the back of the house where it's close to the garden. Some houses don't have gutters and downspouts. Rain barrel enthusiasts have been known to install a gutter only on one side of the house, just so they can fill their barrels. You can even use a very inexpensive gutter and downspout during the rainy season, then uninstall it and store it in winter.
Once you've decided where to place the rain barrel under a downspout, make sure the surface of the ground is basically level to avoid leakage. Build a solid foundation for the barrel using wood or cinder blocks. Elevated barrels improve the gravity flow of water. Be sure to leave an open space under the spigot to accommodate filling watering cans. Determine where the barrel's water overflow pipe will be positioned (always away from your home's foundation). You can link barrels together to add water capacity for large gardens.
To route the water from the downspout to the barrel, you can 1) terminate the downspout a couple of inches above the barrel and install an elbow fitting at the end pointing into the barrel, 2) configure the downspout so it enters all the way into the barrel, or 3) use a special fitting called the
downspout diverter to transport water from inside the downspout, through a tube to the barrel.
Keeping the Gunk Out
The most basic way to keep debris, insects and children out of your rain barrel is to make sure it has a tight fitting lid. Second most important is using a debris screens to stop leaves and other tree parts from traveling through the downspout and into the barrel. A debris-clogged overflow tube could force water out the top of the barrel creating a destructive puddle right beside your foundation. Debris in the spigot could slow/stop water extraction. Debris screens can be installed at the end of the downspout or at the barrel top. You can even include a filtering pad on top of the barrel screen to soften the sound of rain and filter out smaller pieces of debris. Screens will have to be checked & cleaned as required.
Mosquitoes & Rain Barrels
Have an overflow hole on the rain barrel to keep the water level below the mosquito screen. Mosquitoes can breed in the water between the screen and the top of the water surface if the rain barrel is full to the top.
Cover the rain barrel top with fine screening. Not only will this keep mosquitoes from getting into your rain barrel, but it will also screen out leaves, pollen and other debris that could contaminate your water. Secure plastic mesh window screening over your rain barrel's openings. Add cheesecloth
on top of the screen as an additional filter. Leave the lid on your rain barrel at all times, harvesting water from the spigot at the bottom of the rain barrel. When you open the lid, you run the risk of allowing contaminants inside the barrel.
A screen just below the lid is highly recommended in addition to screening above the lid. Affix the screen mesh to the underside of your rain barrel lid
using waterproof tape or glue. If your lid is not removable, another mosquito screen should be installed above the lid opening. Inspect the rain barrel and screens on a regular basis for signs of damage or mosquito invasion. If your screens rip (which is unlikely), you will need to replace them.
Be sure to empty all watering cans after each use and store them upside down or protected from rainwater accumulation. Any stagnant water not screened is a potential area for mosquitoes to lay eggs in.
You can use small portions of mosquito dunks. Buy the product from most garden supply stores. Mosquito dunks are bacterial larvicide that kills mosquito larvae. These dunks slowly release an active ingredient, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), that kills mosquitoes for 30 days or more. They are safe for your plants and don't harm pets or people. Check the label on the larvicide; it may not be suitable for edible produce.
Pitchers, Hoses & Spigots
Opening the barrel lid and scooping out water with a pitcher, bucket or other container is the basic method for using rainwater. It's much more convenient to attach a spigot near the barrel bottom and use gravity to flow water out. The spigot should be placed just above the barrel bottom or higher to allow any debris to settle along the barrel bottom. Attaching a hose (with an end valve) to the spigot allows easy watering of flower pots and the garden directly. Rain barrel owners often install a small electric motor to promote better water flow over long distances. A soaker hose can be attached for continuous watering of your flower beds.
That's all there is to it. A rain barrel is a very basic tool anyone can use to gain the high-impact benefits of capturing and distributing rainwater.
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All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Greene County Conservation District are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, religion, sex, age, disability, political beliefs and marital or family status.
