Diversions#
Definition
Building a swale perpendicular to the slope on your farm so that water doesn’t run straight downhill and instead runs gently away.
How it works: If you have long stretches of exposed hillside on your property where water runs downstream, chances are these places are hot spots for rilling, erosion, and soil loss. Unchecked, water flowing down those slopes can speed up and accumulate with water from farms all across the watershed, and ultimately lead to flooding downstream. One of the best ways to slow that water down while preventing flooding on your property is to interrupt it in the middle of the slope and divert it to go in a different direction. A diversion is a graded channels established perpendicular to the slope of the field so that water running downhill has to take a right-angle turn and then flow down a shallower slope at a non erosive speed. Because the water has to flow along a shallower slope, it slows down and leaves sediment behind. Some of the water percolates into the ground, and the rest of it drains away slowly. Think of it like making the water walk through a long maze instead of run straight from point a to point b. By holding on to and directing the water for a little bit longer in a dedicated part of your field, you prevent damage to other parts of your property, while also dampening floods downstream.
Benefits |
Drawbacks |
|---|---|
Effective way to slow erosion |
Removes land from production indefinitely |
No new infrastructure required |
Requires mowing and maintenance |
Increases water infiltration |
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Prevents water pollution |
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Slows runoff in gullies and rills |