Catch the rain. Water with it later.

What it is, and why it matters.

A single inch of rain on a 2,000-square-foot roof can yield over a thousand gallons. Collecting some of it in barrels or a buried cistern gives you free irrigation water and also reduces runoff. Barrels work well for drip lines and beds. Larger cisterns with a pump can supply a whole system.

We design the collection from the gutters, add screens and first-flush diverters to keep debris out, plan an overflow that does not cause a drainage problem and connect the stored water to drip or sprinklers. In Nashville, with plenty of rain and hot, dry stretches, harvesting is a practical way to keep gardens green.