RAINWATER HARVESTING AND THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
As I started the blog series on Rainwater Harvesting, I realized the importance of also going into depth with the hydrologic cycle. I have mentioned the hydrologic cycle briefly on past blog posts throughout this series as well as having an infographic that merely brushed the surface of all the different elements involved in this phenomenon occurring naturally in our atmosphere. I believe that understanding this cycle will lead to furthering your success in your rainwater harvesting journey!
WHAT IS THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE?
What is the Hydrologic Cycle? The Hydrological Cycle is also referred to as the water cycle. The water cycle is the continuous movement and form of water on the surface, below the surface or above in our atmosphere. The water on earth is in constant movement, from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, and subsurface flow. Within this movement, the water will change forms from Liquid, or Solid (Ice), to Vapor.
THE ELEMENTS WITHIN THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
Each element that works within the water cycle is essential to observe. When you look at an Infographic of the water cycle you want to observe, Ground Water Storage, Aquifers, Groundwater Flow, Surface Water flow, Water Vapor Transport, Evaporation, Transpiration, Evapotranspiration, and the Vegetation.
Plants and The Hydrologic Cycle
The importance of vegetation on the Hydrologic cycle is multi-faceted. Vegetation helps the water cycle by being the canopy interception by collecting the rainwater before the rain falls directly to the ground and, then eventually it will evaporate back into the atmosphere instead of just going to the ground to become erosive run-off and then facilitate the creation of rain.
ENERGY RECYCLING WITHIN THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
The second reason why vegetation is such an important element of the cycle is that with energy cycling the vegetation becomes a naturally occurring solar pump. The trees and vegetation work off the solar energy of the sun to siphon water from the ground through the vegetation and then out into the atmosphere using transpiration from the leaves of the plants as water vapor. This is energy recycling using vegetation within the hydrologic cycle.
Consequently, plants also condensate water from the air so, the water from the vapor becomes liquid. When the change happens vapor to liquid, it’s also being enriched with nutrients from the plants and the trees. So the nutrient-enriched condensation fertilizes the soil with the nutrients and creates healthy soil.
GRAVITY, THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE, AND WATER HARVESTING SUCCESS
The most important part of creating a successful rainwater harvesting method is to work with gravity! The application of Keyline Design, Swales, Vallerani System or imprinting allows the water source to sink using energy and gravity. The harvested rainwater is then able to slow, spread and sink to the ground. This allows the infiltration and creation of an abundance of healthy soil. Additionally, where there is water, there is life! Water in the soil will bring microorganisms and microbes to life.
Plankton And The Hydrological Cycle
Microorganisms and microbiology are also massive elements of the water cycle. One example of this is Plankton! Without plankton, water cannot create the clouds from the ocean. Water condensates around the particles. If the plankton dies how will the water cycle continue? This is a MAJOR concern of climate change! We need to make A difference. We need to change as a society to protect our natural cycles that work naturally within our ecosystem!
Stay Tuned for Monday and the completion of my in-depth journey into rainwater harvesting methods. Monday’s Blog post will be featuring Trinchera’s and Gabions which are not just rocks!
