Restoring A Wetland On My AZ Property - RESULTS ON DAY 1!! **Permaculture In The High Desert**
#permaculture #offgrid #homestead
Hey Everyone! I'm really excited to embark on a multi-year project to turn my lower meadow into a wetland. Using the contours of my land, I'll be able to create a massive watershed area while recharging depleted groundwater on my south facing slope and meadow area. The meadow is green about 10 months out of the year so I already know groundwater is present. If I can build some rock check dams to slow the water down by 50% then the ground can soak up more of it like a big sponge. I'll be removing lots of thirsty juniper trees and will install a few swales on the south facing slope that drains into the meadow. This will be a great project to document over the years, look forward to sharing the footage and progress with you all!
~ Brian & Sierra
0:00 - Intro - Explaining My Watershed Idea
1:21 - Neighborhood Bald Eagle and Juniper Tree Extraction
3:54 - Rock Check Dams - the 2 I've installed so far
5:40 - Swales
7:15 - Building More Rock Check Dams
9:45 - Monsoons Hitting The Property - Awesome Lightning!
10:29 - The Morning After The Rain
11:48 - Where I Lived When I First Got My Property
13:24 - RESULTS AFTER JUST 1 STORM!
17:07 - This Will Be The Wetland Area
21:15 - PATREON SHOUT-OUT
About 100 years ago this area did not have a lot of Junipers it was all grassland, because of over grazing by ranchers with cattle and then lack of restoration from the Buffalo (who were in this area originally properly grazing) it changed the landscape, along with loss of the beaver, who would damn up seasonal washes. He's actually restoring it to what it once was. Though it may seem strange I would say introduce some cattle at some point, obviously control grazing, but they'll help bring back native grasses and feed the soil. Those native grasses will help retain the water in the ground. Grazing if done correctly can make a huge difference.
Hi Jeremiah, you are spot on brother! The historic ranching in this area unintentionally depleted the soil and scrub juniper started to take over the grasslands. There have been efforts over the past 5 years to start clearing out large swaths of scrub juniper from National Forest and State Land in an attempt to allow the grasslands to take hold again. So far it seems to be working, I look forward to turning my place into a similar oasis. I'm fortunate that we have free range cows out here, they love hanging out in the lower meadow on my property so I've got lots of cow patties hitting that spot on a regular basis. I'm excited to see what this place looks like in 5-10 years time! Great comment, I really appreciate your accurate history of the ecosystem & description of what I'm trying to accomplish here. All the best ~ Brian
Came to the comments to say the same thing. AGREED !! 🙂
trees slow the wind to reduce the hair drier effects - blowing wind sucks moisture from the land
@@replica1052Not if the soil is covered with grasses.
@@rosehavenfarm2969 a blow drier dries your head even if you got hair - the wind sucks moisture from the grass wich in turn sucks moisture from the soil
Might I make a suggestion ? You can see that any "leak" in your walls tends to funnel your sediment out. You want the water to spread and run over the top or around the edges of the dam. Try layering your cut juniper branches among your rocks to create a "net". The needles will plug up holes in the rock wall and catch more silt. Will also create mulch, compost over time and improve your soil. In fact, the branches can be used to create dams if rocks are used to hold them in place, saving amount of heavy rocks you have to move. The height of the walls is not as important as the thickness. Small rocks, gravel can be used to plug holes and hold more water. Love what you are doing there ! Also research "sand dams" where water is held underground in sand that accumulates.
100% agree. Nice post.
We call the "rock dam wall things", Leaky weirs in Australia, Long history of them from our Indigenous population.
Some ranchers in Central and Eastern Oregon removed the juniper trees around springs that had dried up, and eventually found their way back to the surface and running again. They really do such up a lot of water i think your going to be very surprised how your land reacts with the absence of junipers
Good job
Thanks Ken, I'm excited to see what becomes of my lower meadow!
Remove the juniper above natural rock piles.
Check out Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Texas... David Bamberger bought one of the worst pieces of ground in the hill country of Texas, waged war on the juniper (that would have historically been kept in check with the frequent natural fire cycle). After just 2.5 years, the first spring began running on the ranch. They now have 11 springs where none existed. If we won't allow fires to naturally control the junipers, we must do the management ourselves.
Nobody eats the juniper trees?
One thing to think about, too, is that your one-rock dams should be two times wider at the base than they are tall. This creates a pyramidal structure that's strong and will resist being pushed through by the heavy flows. On the downhill side, you want to create an 'apron' of smaller rocks so that water cascading over the top of the dam doesn't tumble and scour away the soil, undermining your structure. You can see the benefits of this in your second dam where the water flow was able to push through the underside of the dam, creating that deep channel. If you'd used the smaller rocks all around that area to create a ramp-like construction fore and aft of the main ridge, the water would have been broken up and lost energy rather than being able to focus and push its way through. A good rake or grub hoe used to scrape up the small pebbles around the dam site will make piling them up on the faces of the dam a lot easier. In the end, it's about experimenting and learning from others. There are a ton of videos on KZhead about making "leaky weirs", "One Rock Dams", "Beaver Dam Analogs" and the like. You have all the resources you could want on your site, so check out a few videos and see how others have successfully built theirs. No need to reinvent the wheel.
You can use the wood and branches from those junipers you're planning to cut down to make leaky weirs as well, something similar to the way beavers make their dams. It's useful material for that silt catching, and if you have pieces long enough to anchor into the sides of a stream bed all the better.
In 1957 my father bought 5 acres of land that was bare, with 6 ft deep gulches from the water running into a stock pond. It got fenced so the cattle could not get get in. Cut junipers were placed in the gulches to slow the water and catch the sediment. More junipers were added as the julches filled up. Today 65 years later that land is all grass, no gulches and the stock pond is gone replaced by a gentle slope into a depression. Northern AZ..
Nice work! Can I suggest one thing? If you girdle the junipers by cutting a ring in their bark through their sapwood and leave them standing in place rather than removing them, you can gain the benefit of the shade that the dead snag tree will produce. This shade and the body of the tree will reduce solar and wind exposure, which will both reduce evaporation and desication of your land while reducing the erosive force of monsoon rains by buffering the impact. In addition, the shade can allow you to nurse other less thirsty or more beneficial trees or shrubs that you prefer to transition in the place of the junipers, and it gives birds and insects a place to perch which provides free fertilizer. After another tree or shrub has gained a foothold in it's nursery, then remove the juniper snag. Just a thought. Great to see your project.
Great idea!
a property without old trees is boring and has no sould. I think that advise is golden and the reasoning correct.
yes. Use the junipers, don't kill them. That's such a big mistake.
Soil biologists have proven that adult trees share food and water with younger, less established trees through their roots and mycorhizal fungi. Leave the junipers until your saplings become established. You will have greater success and faster results.
You’re catching valuable topsoil with the rock berm method. It won’t be long before you notice a big difference. I use to have a homemade wooden sled that I used behind my 4 wheeler. Kept me from having to lift the larger rocks so high .
I'm excited to see how this place will look in a few years!
You can see grass, scrubs etc all greener & taller behind and beside your rock walls. Nice to see immediate results of all your hard work. Interesting video & job well done so far.
I admire what you are doing more than I can say. I think about the times before the beavers were wiped out on so much of the land where you live. Grasslands and wetlands were abundant. Today, it is you doing the beavers' work. That makes you the new keystone species in charge. I wish you tremendous success. I suggest that you incorporate those cut-down trees into your rock dams to help provide structure and to filter silt from the flow. I am soooo impressed!
That is a thought I have long loved: humans are a keystone species. It is so good to watch us get back to our Creator's original intention! Caretakers of the Gaden. Every bit counts.
When we build these water slowing walls, one thing we do that helps a lot is that we add a layer of straw right against the rocks, and then cover that straw in a thick layer of sand (clay if you have it). It mixes together and fills in all the cracks in the wall and retains water a bit better.
The view you just shared is so stunning... Everyone's Dream is to be where you are !!
Where is my heart,??
Hello Brian and Sierra water 💦 yes 💧😉
Hi Zoi, I hope you are having a nice weekend!
If I could make a suggestion on your rock dams - do more little ones rather than a few big ones. Sure, bigger ones would individually hold back more water but more little ones would (in my opinion) prove better at slowing a greater volume overall. Even a wall of one rock high would work. The greater the amount held by larger individual dams, the more likely it is that the water would break through and erode or go round the sides of the dam and erode.
Pretty cool! Sierra is looking good. Enjoy the holiday week end.
Very cool! Can't wait to see how it progresses!
This will be a great long term project!
looks great! you mentioned swells, also remember to plant useful plants in the swells fruit trees and berry bushes are always a good choice
Juniper logs, stacked, would be a great addition to your rock walls. They will last for a decade or two before rotting.
I love a rainy day. Way to go Brian . Rocks everywhere ya look out there. Sierra is looking fine. Take care of yourself and Sierra. I’ve been watching since you had that big tent in the snow. Fun seeing your RC truck.
Hey William! Hope your holiday weekend is going well. I'm having a blast out here turning my property into an oasis. I love the solitude and having Sierra by my side makes life that much sweeter. Enjoy the rest of your day, thank you for tuning in! ~ Brian & Sierra
Nice Brian, looks awesome
I have many small check dams rather than larger dams. It doesn't let the water flow gain momentum. Also, if one of them fails, it isn't as catastrophic a a single large dam. Mulching or chipping the trees helps too. Nice start sir.
The property is looking great and love the views. Your rock wall is already doing what you want.
Juniper trees not only support a diverse array of wildlife, including birds, mammals, and insects by providing essential food, shelter, and nesting sites but they also play a vital role in stabilizing soil and creating beneficial microclimates. These trees help prevent soil erosion and moderate temperature extremes, which are particularly valuable in desert conditions. However, their significant water use and allelopathic properties present challenges. Manage juniper populations strategically-opting for selective thinning rather than complete removal to balance water conservation with ecological benefits. Utilizing removed juniper wood as mulch or for building materials can further enhance resource efficiency.
I love this. it's beaver time! The landscapes and clouds are so beautiful, going through Arizona and NM was awesome when i went cross-country.
Be like a beaver and use the juniper that your cutting down and the rocks in tandem to hold water.
LOVE IT! The future residents of our off-grid AZ community will definitely want to implement your strategies. Thanks for the video!
Line the sip before the rock wall with your cut juniper. That will slow the water, and trap sediment even better.
That is pretty cool. Here in northern Colorado if we did something like that someone would have a meltdown about water rights. In my town we can have rain barrels. Their combined capacity can NOT exceed 110 gallons. Ridiculous.
Yeah, I was very disheartened when I looked into the various codes in the mountain counties so that's why I purchased land out here. There's more freedom to work your land without any neighbors getting upset or the county telling you what to do. I love the solitude out here but I do miss the Rocky Mountains. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventuresdemocrat policies ruin everything
This really shouldn't a problem as a spreader dam, old term, does not stop water flow. It slows it. It also stops erosian and the buildup of sediment in streams. There should be research out there that backs it up. Erosian control and sediment catcher is better for people who don't understand that not all dams are for building lakes.
I love that you live in sync with the land. keep teaching!
If you put rock salt on the stumps when you cut them down that should kill the rest of the roots. You need to drill holes first then use the rock salt cover.
Thanks for the tip, Theresa!
Juniper won’t come back when you cut them off. Nothing else is required
Used cooking oil works as well; but in this case he's chopping junipers down and they won't sprout from roots.
NO do not salt your land!!!!
@kittimcconnell2633 yep you are right. It works but it can kill off other plants in area. Spectracide Stump Remover is safe and according to This Old House it works to remove the stump.
Looks like a great plan. I think it’s good that you’re doing it over a couple years so you can modify the plan as needed. You actually may get the results you want sooner than you think.🤔
There is a large effort to thin out juniper in E Oregon. I think you could mulch the juniper and improve soil So cool that you are capturing and slowing the water. Can’t wait to see how it all works out
A lot of work for sure, but it will be so rewarding. Just like all of the work you do around your place. Shangri-La in the making!
this is sick! really inspiring. can't wait to watch the progress!!
I bet you have an impressive arrowhead collection from that land.
Juniper wood when dried, is great for wood fired cooking.
Looking good Brian!!
Thanks Brother! Hope you are having a good holiday weekend!
You know whats up with the check dams, the more the merrier. I use the juniper brush to make the swales too
Tremendous success, Brian! I was amazed at how effective that first 'test' area turned out. How exciting to have that kind of result immediately. I watched the reference video you posted and learned a lot from it. Great idea and good plan for your land. I'm a huge fan of stewardship but not a don't go off the trail ever crazy person. You have to walk your land to care for your land. It's looking really amazing. Good for you and Sierra, I'm glad she's still with you to enjoy it. Your friend in Vegas!
Thanks Chris! Yeah, I was VERY surprised at the amount of sediment deposited after just one storm. I can only imagine how much will accumulated over time, I'm thinking this will really help spread out water running through the lower meadow. I'd love it if I could have a wetland/riparian area year around down there. Currently it stays green for about 10 months out of the year so I don't think I have far to go for it to stay lush year around. Hope your Sept is staring off awesome in Vegas, cooler temps are on the horizon!! I'm ready for fall/winter. ~ Brian
We use chicken wire and rebar driven into the ground and pile the rocks against the upslope side. Even a heavy rain won't wash them away. Gravel, twigs and leaves catch in the crevices and soon an almost watertight dam is formed holding water for several days.
Put rocks on one side of chicken wire laid on ground. Then fold the other side uonaling front if dam and weigh down with mire rocks
@@knoll9812 You don't NEED to use chicken wire or rebar. Rock and brush will do just fine with zero input.
So interesting! You’re giving a master class on taking care of your land to conform to you needs! Thank you!
I just watched a video about another property owner that did exactly this, the transformation was huge.
You can also use some of the small trees you cut along with the rocks to hold more water.
Good progress from day 1, NICE. You should also put rocks on those areas where you see water incising the land. It will stop it eroding further (13:50 in your video). And another way to slow the flow is to just leave the sawed of junipers in the water channel (think like a beaver).
In Australia they are using the trees to make water slowing swales the juniper seems like a good material for it 👍 flood and inflation is exactly what you need
Spiffy little bowl you have there. Wind protection and still has sun. Congrats.
In AZ, "having sun" is not always a plus :-)
Mike Dickson has a video on Joel Salatin's place. He shows his check dams. Where he uses a scrap piece of plastic so he control the water etc.. with poly tubing and he is able to have multiple uses for water ie; livestock etc... I don't know if you plan to a few heads of livestock but it certainly wouldn't hurt. I'm glad I found your channel! Thank you for sharing, it's not easy work but it sure is meaningful work. Brooks
You can use your cut junipers to slow runoff, too. Lay the in your channels with the cut stump pointing uphill. Use several such structures per runnel. Several slowdown ares per runnel will drastically reduce erosion. r runnel will drastically reduce your erosion. Water’s erosive power
Great videos keep it up neighbor!
It might help to use juniper branches in your check dams to fill in gaps and hold more sediment back.
I design erosion control for construction sites, the term in the US for that devise is a “Rock Check Dam.”
Lookimg good! Hey i did some dams out at dead horse but instead of using rocks, we used those junipers! Turned out really great because the twigs and organic matter worked really well to block out all those small crevices. We caught almost 2 feet of sediment in one storm and flattened out almost 80 feet of the wash, and it stayed wet for almost 2 months
Thanks for sharing. Imo throw those juniper braches on the high end of the weir and they'll catch a lot more sediment.
I love to see people connecting and working with the land!
The areas under the canopy of the removed Junipers will keep their high infiltration rates for up to 10 years, some studies show. Interesting stuff. Thank people for science!
Another great vid Bryan...Im looking to leave calif. I would love to be able to buy land in an environment like that...beautiful!
You are also slowing soil erosion. Well done!
Cut branches of juniper and lay tightly together and parallel to banks. Weigh diwn with respect icks will catch silt. Cheap and fast.
Put a handful of grass under the stone when you build a dam, it holds water better.
You should use the debris from the junipers. Maybe it could support the wall, drive them into the ground maybe. Weave some branches between them. Kinda do a BDA, Beaver Dam Analog.
What if you had a layer of old newspaper between the rocks vertically to slow the water and Juniper in front of the rocks to stop the water. The paper will eventually decompose and maybe trap enough water to soak in even more.
Prune the junapers to a stick so they grow tall and the shade will get bigger
Nice work. Can say if you can change to working from high land to low with check dams may be less exciting but would give you good yields but with much less repair/maintenance in rain events. Nicely done
Look for gold in that sediment! 🎉
Love what your doing! Those little rock walls are called 'check dams'. To prevent the rocks from getting washed out, you can do two things: build many, many more of them, but lower in height, which creates lots of small tiers instead of fewer large tiers. Second, start higher in the landscape where there is less water and it is moving slower. I Rubio, generally, is better to trap the water at the highest elevation you can so it sinks in and seeps out over a longer time frame. If you haven't found the videos, check out "Australian Story: Peter Andrews, Natural Sequence Farming". He us legendary for turning around dry properties, but his work deviates a little from the "just build swales" theory. Very interesting, and his use of woody material would work very well with your juniper trash.
Maybe you can use some of the juniper trees to build your dams out of put a log across the wash, and put a couple steaks to hold it in
I really admire what you're doing. Thanks for the upload.
So cool to results after one storm. Really makes you feel good to see them that quick.
Should use the cut Juniper as BDA (Beaver Dam Analog) material, it will help to catch sediment and nutrients.
I cant wait to start a similar project on my land!! Subscribed!
Great job Brian! I'm a few years away from retirement and starting to look for land to begin a homestead. I have lurked for years, but this video made me have to comment. You and Sierra should be proud!!
Right on, thank you for tuning in! Best wishes for your land search, I was really lucky to stumble across my property as it was a FSBO and not listed on Realtor.com.. Hope you are able to secure your slice of heaven for a homestead. Living this way is such a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of big cities. I absolutely love it!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Can you tell me the general area of AZ your property is located in? I'd love to find something like that for my retirement. Thanks.
Raising the water table will kill off some of the juniper trees for you as well. They like dry roots.
Great idea 👍 .
Amazing project! 💪👑🌟
Cool stuff.
Pan some of that sediment. May be some gold in it.
It will be interesting if you see an increase of rabit activity with all the new grass that will grow around those rock dams. Great project!
Have you considered using the chopped down juniper trees for some catchment? Works for beavers.
If you are planning on growing trees, plant them by the juniper you want to get rid of. Then wait until the tree becomes established before chopping the juniper. Trees have an extensive requirement for different types of bacteria and fungi that will already be present in the root zone of those juniper trees. It has also been proven that adult trees share food and water with saplings to help them grow. This will jump start your saplings tremendously.
Beaver dam analogs using those junipers. Thanks for sharing.
Ever consider woodchipping your main living area? That would help create soil and save water. Plus you can use the dead and dry wood you come across and lower the fire hazard a bit. Also if you mulch under the trees it will not only help with water absorbency but also with creating soil.
Wow this was very informative. I learned so much today!
Thanks for tuning in! I'm really pleased with my progress so far.
Good idea about creating the rock sieves. You may want to consider adding "S" curves to your water pathways. "S" curves (as you probably know) will slow down the water even more, and catch more sediment. So happy to see the "greening" of AZ.
amazing! i dream of doing this in az one day too
as you catch more ground water the junipers will rot from the roots. add the small trees you are harvest to the rock formations like beavers. to the rock
Read the book, “Wanted: Mountain cedar dead and alive”, thinning cedar and lifting up may be a better approach as it is a progenitor species whose roots keep soil intact.
that is a great idea
Hey there Brian. Man I'm excited about your plans for the future. I'll keep posted. Is this where your gardens going eventually? This is great man. Love it. Take care. Vaughn
Yeah, I'm definitely going to plant fruit trees along the swales. My buddies have cherry, lemon, peach, and orange trees flourishing on their properties. Nothing better than fruit directly off the tree!
@OffGridBackcountryAdventures I agree.
Pretty impressive from one storm. Interesting to see how much vegetation grows in it in a year or two. You’ve got a real project ahead on the junipers.
Use some of the larger junipers you cut down and make a series of pointed posts that you hammer in behind each of your rock catchment walls. Love your ideas.....
Rainwater Harvesting, always th first step for ecology 👍
In my area of southern utah, removing pinyon and junipers have resupplied ground water to the point that year round seeps have come back.
Hey Carl, I hope the same thing happens here! It's crazy how much water those massive junipers slurp up each year.
you could put that dead branch in that wash to help slow the water(over time)
Perfect permaculture beginnings you can do so much with the swales and water catchment on contour. I’m looking forward to following this content. Always enjoy your videos thanks.
This looks like so much fun. Your land is coming alot nicely.
Rock walls are a great idea. In a few years you might have a natural pond. Love your property.
Love the way things are going. Nice to see Sierra up and about. Best wishes to you both.
Love your place! Best wishes from Richmond Va.
Wow 😅 sorta is so happy and you with so hard. You inspire me to learn about the land. Thank you