In many parts of north/central Indiana, the topography is flat, flat, flat. We are lucky to have a slightly more interesting topography on the current site, with a small hill ridge extending out from the house (the basement and garage, at road level, are built into this ridge). However, it only gets up to about 6ft higher than the road level, providing gentle slope but remaining below the main level of the house. 

As a result, on this site (and many in this area), the highest point on the property is the roof of the house. The house (and barn) roof thus provides an important resource for water harvesting for gravity feed into the garden and orchard systems. Moreover this will be flash runoff, so we’ll need to consider how the “boluses” of water arriving with each rainfall can be stored and slowed for maximum use by our plants.

Looking at the downspouts from the house, one is already directed into the lawn on the south side. This can be easily directed into a swale system integrated into the terraced garden. Two others on the east side of the house go underground and exit goodness knows where, so these will be redirected via gutter piping under the deck and path and into the terrace swale system as well. The path itself also provides runoff that naturally overflows near the above pipe, so that water can also be harvested. 

Two downspouts on the west side of the house could be redirected into a ridge pond west of the house, that would then feed into the orchard swale system. Probably. Eyeballing the subtle contours (the ridge is slightly higher than the ground immediately next to the house), we think we can probably manage enough of a gentle slope in the pipes between the house and the pond to maintain gravity feed - although they may sit at ground level for part of their journey (crossing an access path next to the house) and thus might need some little bridges or protective structures to protect them but enable passage.

It was actually really interesting walking around on the rainy days before New Years, observing the spots where the ground naturally got soggy and areas where rainwater collected. On the ridge, this will inform where we site the pond. 

I have to admit that at this point we have a few doubts and uncertainties about the pond - whether we will be able to adequately seal it (we’ll probably try clay puddling - the naturally clay subsoil here should hopefully prove to be an advantage in this respect), how big/deep should it be, whether it will stay full or dry out, etc. In addition to providing habitat and water retention, the idea is also to site a duck house next to the pond, although the ducks will wait until next year at least, until the pond (and other elements) are more established.