Bonnie H. Duggan
Frederick
County Master Gardener Program
Even with normal to above normal
precipitation following last year’s
drought, supply and demand issues
continue to be debated among planners,
developers, municipal officials and
scientists. Just this past week, the
Frederick News-Post ran a series of very
informative articles about how both the
lack and abundance of water affect our
region.
Last summer’s drought, the most
pronounced drought year in a string of
several dry years, caused all of us to
rethink our water usage. Well owners got
moving early with conservation plans as
they feared their wells would fail.
According to Health Department
estimates, two to three times more wells
failed in Frederick County between May
and September last year as compared with
more typical years. Residents connected
to County and City water saw use
restrictions tighten quickly until
outside water use was banned altogether.
Facing such dire circumstances brought a
huge response from the gardening
community who, instead of putting aside
their trowels, found a way to have their
plants and water them too!
Throughout Frederick County, hundreds of gardeners installed their own personal water tanks in the form of rain barrels. Though infrequent,
the passing showers and occasional
downpours filled the barrels and
provided a reserve of water that the
plants otherwise would not have had.
Between April and October 2002, about 23
inches of rain fell on Frederick County.
That is about 10 inches below normal.
Even then, if a homeowner with just 750
square feet of roof had been able to
collect and save this rainfall, they
would have had a whopping 10,746 gallons
of water to use in their landscape!
Considering the ban on outdoor watering,
this amount would have certainly come in
handy. And this is the water from just
one medium-sized roof!
Last summer, our combined conservation
efforts, coupled with bans on outdoor
watering and local moratoriums on
building, allowed us to squeak by
without having to truck water in to
serve our basic needs. Many of us who
attend the Great Frederick Fair know how
hard everyone associated with that event
worked to bring water to the fairgrounds
so that the fair could go on as usual.
Then in the fall, it began to rain,
followed by a snowy winter and so far, a
very wet spring. According to the U.S.
Drought Monitor, Frederick County’s
drought status has now been upgraded to
“recovery,” which means that great care
must be taken to ensure that we don’t
slip back into parched circumstances.
Unlike Moses who during Biblical times
struck a rock with his staff and
produced water, we cannot “make” water.
Adam and Eve steeped herbal tea in the
same water the dinosaurs drank, which
you now use to shower in every morning.
Water really isn’t local, it is global,
so management of water resources is
critical for all creatures near and far.
Only 2.5% of the earth’s water is fresh,
most of which is locked up in glaciers
and ice caps. That leaves three-tenths
of 1 percent serving our needs through
lakes, rivers and streams. Regrettably,
much of this tiny fresh water supply is
now in danger of drying up or becoming
contaminated beyond use.
Increasing urbanization has meant that
our limited water resources are
stretched farther and farther all the
time. In the very delicate world of
water, all it takes is for some
climatologic or demographic event to
upset the scale. In reality, we are only
just a few rainfalls shy of drought all
the time.
The Drought of 2002 raised awareness
that water should never again be taken
for granted. Water usage in the U.S. is
well-studied, and municipal suppliers
know what to expect. According to the
American Water Works Association,
outside watering creates a 40% spike
during summer months. Even if rainfall
patterns continue at more normal levels,
our usage patterns will make a huge
difference on whether or not there is
enough water to go around.
Since 1982, an increasing number of
states have been drafting formal drought
plans. Currently 33 states have them,
with about seven more states actively
working on the issue. Most of these
plans are reactive in nature, which does
little to help avoid drought. The state
of Georgia, however, is emerging with a
model that reforms water use in a
pro-active way. A key component of
Georgia’s risk management plan is to
regulate outdoor watering all the
time---not just during droughts. Under
the plan, homeowners can water landscape
plants three times per week, which is
quite adequate. By watering thoroughly
and then allowing a time of drying,
plants develop better, deeper root
systems. The result is a healthier
landscape that can better manage during
droughts. Modest restrictions also
benefit the water supply by stretching
the resource further.
One comment I heard over and over last
summer was how well plants responded to
rainwater when compared with well or
treated water. It isn’t surprising since
rainwater contains no dissolved
minerals, chlorine or fluoride. It is
nature’s ideal water source for all
landscape needs. I used four rain
barrels last summer and managed to keep
my garden quite happy. Since I also have
a small ornamental pond, I was able to
keep the fish swimming as well. Except
for the grass, which I allowed to go
dormant, the effects of drought were
minimal in my yard.
Eddie, success stories have come in from
all over the County as gardeners share
their tales of beating the drought. One
of your neighbors in Walkersville called
to tell me that she saved 70% on her
water bill---about 5,000 gallons---when
comparing last summer’s usage to the
summer before. Another man from
Woodsboro connected six barrels to the
back of his home to collect water for
his swimming pool. In Frederick,
Evangelical Lutheran Church placed rain
barrels under the downspouts and window
air conditioners on their buildings to
catch every drop of water for their
beautiful gardens. A man in Brunswick
used collected rainwater to wash his
truck all summer. With results like
these, it makes sense to keep collecting
rainwater, drought or not! Besides, why
should we use drinking water for these
purposes?
Just think about what could happen in
Frederick County alone if all residents
used collected rainwater for their
outside water needs. Last summer,
hundreds of us did. My hope is that
hundreds more will follow.
It is clear to see how rain barrels have
a place as a drought management tool,
but it may be surprising that rain
barrels are critically important during
times of excessive rain fall. In many
homes, at least one or two downspouts
empty out onto a paved driveway, which
then carries the water to the street.
When multiplied by thousands of homes,
there is a great deal of storm water
flow that needs to be managed. Some of
it finds its way into holding ponds
where the water can more slowly seep
into the ground. The rest ends up
overwhelming municipal sewer systems or
pouring into creeks and rivers where the
torrential currents erode stream beds,
carrying silt and pollutants into area
lakes and eventually the Chesapeake Bay.
Lake Linganore is losing significant
amounts of its capacity to silt
infiltration from runoff. When a
homeowner channels downspouts into rain
barrels, the diverted water can be
managed on the homeowner’s property
without contributing to the storm water
problem. Effective Downspout
Disconnection programs have been
implemented all over the U.S. from
Boston to Portland and in Canada as
well. Many of these programs will pay
homeowners up to $50 per downspout that
they redirect onto their property to
keep water from entering the storm flow.
Homeowners are then encouraged to create
“rain gardens” to beautifully manage
excess water while it slowly seeps into
the ground.
In times of want or plenty, rain barrels
have a key roll to play in our gardens.
While harvesting and reusing rainwater
is very simple, there are safety
concerns that must be addressed. First
of all, no one should ever use an open,
unscreened container. Both children and
animals can drown in as little as a few
inches of collected water. And standing
water is an open invitation for breeding
mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus
and other diseases. Secondly, only use a
food-grade container with a known usage
history that was made to hold liquid.
Trash cans are not designed to withstand
the pressure and weight of collected
water and will warp and eventually
split. Finally, make sure your rainwater
collection container is seated on a
firm, level foundation to minimize the
danger of tipping. A typical 60-gallon
rain barrel weighs 500 pounds when full.
After last summer, many home owners
associations (HOAs) are developing
guidelines for rain barrel use. HOAs can
and should encourage rainwater
collection and reuse while providing
all-important safety guidelines. If
there are appearance considerations,
HOAs often choose to dictate material
type, color or location of the barrel.
Visual screens made from lattice or
fencing material allow adequate coverage
while providing support for annual vines
like purple Hyacinth bean (Dolichos
lablab) and Morning Glory (Ipomoea.)
It is truly hard to predict what kind of
weather patterns we will have this
summer, and how they will affect our
water supply. With the rain barrel you
have, Eddie, you will be ready! If
rainfall amounts are normal this summer,
collected rain water will tide your
plants over until the next rain event.
If the summer turns out hot and dry,
your plants will be able to thrive.
Remember the Aesop’s fable about the ant
and the grasshopper? The ant toiled
tirelessly to stock up on food while
there was abundance because he knew that
times of want were not far off. The
grasshopper did not prepare and
continued his reckless consumption. When
times became hard, the ant was prepared.
And what became of the grasshopper?
Well, I hope a Praying Mantis ate him!
If you want to learn how to master the
art of rainwater collection and reuse,
be sure to register for an upcoming
workshop. The first will be held at the
C. Burr Artz Library on Thursday
evening, June 12 at 7 P.M. To register,
call 301-694-1630. On Saturday, June 14
at 10 A.M., Community Commons is
sponsoring a hands-on workshop where
participants can put the finishing
touches on a rain barrel to take home.
Call 301-662-3000 to register. During
both events, I’ll cover everything from
modifying your downspout to barrel setup
for efficient and safe reuse. We’ll even
talk about how to calculate the amount
of water coming off your roof so you’ll
know how much you can expect to save
(which is a whole lot more than you
probably think!)
Thanks for your great question, Eddie.
Last summer, you made an important step
toward transitioning your garden from
the use of treated water to a much
better source—rain water. I hope you’ll
soon be rolling out your rain barrel for
another summer of good use!
As author John Steinbeck wrote of
America’s “Dust Bowl” drought years, “It
never failed that during the dry years
people forgot about the rich years, and
during the wet years they lost all
memory of the dry years. It was always
that way.” Hopefully we will remain
vigilant and not slip into apathy as we
watch the rain fall this spring. Our
conservation efforts will pay off, both
in our yards and in our community.
Read other articles on gardening in drought conditions
Read other articles by Bonnie Duggan
Interested in making
your own rain barrel system? Then
we suggest you read:
A Spouse's Guide to Building
the Perfect Water Barrel System
