Today's show is about the second layer of designing resilient homestead properties. Last week we started with the basic principles of holistic whole-site water system design. This week, we build on that with the basic principles that guide holistic access design and implementation across broadacre landscapes.
- Paradigm
- Access can be an asset or liability - depends on design and maintenance
- Every linear foot of access has a maintenance bill attached to it - design with this in mind!
- Access should ideally improve hydrological function, at the very least be neutra
- Access Patterning Questions
- Where do you / your animals / wildlife need to go?
- Animals move between water, food and shelter.
- What kinds of activities are/will be performed there and along the way?
- What modes of transport does the route need to accommodate at which times of the year?
- How should the access route be patterned and constructed to create the lowest possible maintenance profile while providing the necessary functionality?
Access DO's and DON'Ts
- DO
- Minimize the use of impermeable hardscapes
- Drain road surfaces early and often
- Best Chance, No Chance, First Chance, Last Chance
utilize grade changes
- Cross valleys perpendicular to water flows
at right angle to flow in riffles if driving through
across dam walls (check dam, earthen embankment) - Follow ridge lines where appropriate (least drainage pressure)
- Crown or slope the road surface appropriate to the context
- Crowned = center of the road higher than both edges - generally 2-4% - drains to ditches on one or both sides
- Insloped = drains water from road surface into the uphill cut bank - road is effectively holding water in the ditch
- Outsloped = road sloped to downhill fill edge, discharges over a broad surface
- DON'T
- Install roads following valley bottoms = this is short-sighted!
- Transfer water from one watershed to another
add grade changes w/ appropriate outsloping or cross drains! - Let roadways become entrenched! These cannot be drained effectively and will continue degrading - this is basically a creek!
- Drive on a road when conditions aren't appropriate!
Show Resources
____________________________________________________________________________
WHAT I DO:
Design:
On-Site Consultation
Online Site/Project Consultation
Holistic Ecosystem Design
Implementation:
Water Harvesting Earthworks
High-function, Low-Maintenance Access
Living Systems
Spring Development
Courses:
Minimum Holistic Goal
Media:
The Sovereign Homestead Podcast
YouTube
Instagram
Music by Alex Grohl
