1 00:00:02,752 --> 00:00:03,837 The Texas Rain Catcher 2 00:00:03,837 --> 00:00:08,875 Awards is a competition program that was set up to recognize 3 00:00:08,875 --> 00:00:12,746 individuals and projects that were utilizing rainwater harvesting. 4 00:00:12,862 --> 00:00:16,966 And it's a way for the Texas Water Development 5 00:00:16,966 --> 00:00:21,271 Board to share existing technologies that are being utilized 6 00:00:21,271 --> 00:00:25,742 and a way for us to inform the public on rainwater harvesting issues. 7 00:00:26,693 --> 00:00:29,462 Raven Canyon won the Texas Rain Catcher Award 8 00:00:30,063 --> 00:00:32,849 because they're unique in that they're able to manage 9 00:00:32,882 --> 00:00:37,070 the area of the canyon they're in through rainwater harvesting. 10 00:00:37,070 --> 00:00:40,640 And this, along with earthworks and terracing, 11 00:00:40,857 --> 00:00:45,111 has been able to provide habitat restoration, better absorption 12 00:00:45,111 --> 00:00:49,699 and infiltration of the water in the area, and has allowed them 13 00:00:49,699 --> 00:00:53,787 to provide a more constant water supply year-round to their orchards and gardens. 14 00:00:54,437 --> 00:00:57,657 It can be intimidating to a lot of people in some regards 15 00:00:58,141 --> 00:01:00,860 because of the elevation drop of 250 feet. 16 00:01:01,428 --> 00:01:05,031 But everyone is drawn to the canyon. 17 00:01:05,365 --> 00:01:08,301 We're learning the land; we're learning how the water moves over it; 18 00:01:08,334 --> 00:01:12,322 we're learning how to capture that water or what 19 00:01:12,322 --> 00:01:15,842 the needs of the habitat around here are. 20 00:01:16,142 --> 00:01:20,780 And there's a variety of different habitats. 21 00:01:20,780 --> 00:01:21,765 There's a lower canyon, 22 00:01:21,765 --> 00:01:25,702 and there's this upper canyon that catches a lot of sun and water. 23 00:01:25,702 --> 00:01:29,722 And this is an example of what you can do in soil conservation 24 00:01:29,839 --> 00:01:32,809 and water absorption and utilization. 25 00:01:33,093 --> 00:01:36,663 We're capturing water in every possible means imaginable, 26 00:01:37,046 --> 00:01:41,935 but hopefully inventive and imaginary and creatively. 27 00:01:42,235 --> 00:01:44,420 But it's got to be also practical. 28 00:01:44,420 --> 00:01:45,989 We've got to maintain it. 29 00:01:45,989 --> 00:01:47,991 I think the garage was the first one. 30 00:01:48,358 --> 00:01:51,578 I have two huge, two 1,500-gallon tanks. 31 00:01:51,895 --> 00:01:55,765 One of them is a collector tank, and the other one is a clean tank. 32 00:01:55,849 --> 00:02:00,120 So, I collect in one and transfer it 33 00:02:00,303 --> 00:02:03,273 through a filtering system into the clean tank. 34 00:02:03,439 --> 00:02:07,377 The advantage of the tank inside is that it's not exposed to the weather, 35 00:02:07,794 --> 00:02:13,883 and it keeps your garage warm because you have a huge body of water that's warm. 36 00:02:13,883 --> 00:02:15,919 So in the winter, it stays warm longer. 37 00:02:17,420 --> 00:02:18,121 With my wife’s 38 00:02:18,121 --> 00:02:22,442 property, she ended up acquiring a property in ‘96, I think. 39 00:02:22,442 --> 00:02:26,546 And it's an old CCC cabin, Civilian Conservation Corps. 40 00:02:26,579 --> 00:02:28,765 We have three tanks there. 41 00:02:28,765 --> 00:02:33,570 And it provides her domestic needs for what we use down there. 42 00:02:33,570 --> 00:02:36,322 Occasionally, we'll use it for 43 00:02:36,322 --> 00:02:40,226 watering, you know, plants and stuff, but primarily it's domestic. 44 00:02:40,944 --> 00:02:43,496 We have a section of roof, and it goes in a trough, 45 00:02:43,496 --> 00:02:45,481 and then I have a water can. 46 00:02:45,481 --> 00:02:47,567 It's a very fundamental arrangement. 47 00:02:47,567 --> 00:02:49,802 It doesn't get treated; it isn't pressurized. 48 00:02:50,119 --> 00:02:52,889 I just dip it out and water where it is 49 00:02:52,889 --> 00:02:55,291 conveniently located. 50 00:02:55,892 --> 00:02:57,961 The first task or responsibility 51 00:02:57,961 --> 00:03:00,597 is to capture the water in a vessel. 52 00:03:01,164 --> 00:03:05,068 Then, after that, you have treatment and distribution. 53 00:03:05,568 --> 00:03:07,770 You need to 54 00:03:07,770 --> 00:03:11,758 get as big a tank as you possibly can because a big rain will come along, 55 00:03:11,758 --> 00:03:15,828 and you're going to have—not remorse about the tank or the system— 56 00:03:16,196 --> 00:03:19,082 you're going to have remorse that it filled up so quick, 57 00:03:19,082 --> 00:03:20,950 and now it's just pouring out on the ground. 58 00:03:20,950 --> 00:03:23,820 We're going to capture the water, we're going to hold the water, 59 00:03:24,204 --> 00:03:26,406 and then we're going to redistribute it when it's dry.