WATER MANAGEMENT on the Land: PONDS, STREAMS, SWALES, BERMS & WATER BARS - Ep. 085 

Sean…he’s so practical…work smarter not harder to protect your body from injury especially in the long term. You are so fortunate to have his advice, this was such a good episode. I’m sure he saved you from spending a heap of money, the solution is doable maintenance. I did subscribe to his channel when you first introduced him, he has such a nice manner.

I learned more about practical water management in this video than an entire Environment management MSc. The incredible thing is that the concepts are all entirely scalable. Its like all of the puddle dams we built as children contained all the lessons we ever needed about landscape hydrology, but we discredited that play as we grew up. Thanks Flock! I hope you know just how valuable your content is.

I love it how Sean's giving advice on how to use a force like water (that could be extremely damaging) to work with it and improve the environment and create a nice habitat. It's awesome how he takes it further and 'sneaks' in other plant beings by suggesting, 'oh, we could plant a berry bush here and feed it with the silt from here...'. Indeed, if only we had Olympics for tree planting and soil healing! I've said this before, I'm not sure why, but I find his water management so relaxing and meditative. Must be the voice and all the great advice! Thanks for inviting him and for sharing this video with us!🤗🤗🤗 PS: the direct feedback Sander mentioned must be another thing I personally like about this - we almost instantly see if what we work with has the impact we desire.😎

BEST EPISODE YET!! I have already watched it twice and my husband has watched, too. Ours is the lowest house on the street and for many months of the year, our back yard is a muddy mess. I now know to observe and then ask the water to move along rather than kill my back. Love the practical advice and actually seeing Sander put those functional water bars in. 10/10!

We manage 1/2 mile of private road on a slope. He's absolutely right! Very subtle "water-Bars" (we call them "Thank-You-Ma'ams") will encourage water to go where you want it! Side note: "Thank-You-Ma'ams" were also helpful to let horses rest with the wagon wheels in a slight depression will traveling uphill

Oh yesss! It's like a yt-dream become true. Two of my absolute favorite channels working together and help each other out. Feeling the community 💜 And I love how Shawn addresses "problems" as valuable sources of really getting to know your landscape and his thoughtful and respectful talking about nature. A real permie!

Sean! We always love an episode with Sean in it. 😄

Great topic and video. These are the unsexy parts of owning land, I'm grateful you took the time and documented this for others. Drainage or lack thereof is a critical piece in successfully managing any rural property. Love the incremental approaches discussed.

I think the Calm app should hire Sean to read plant book. Lol. His voice is so relaxing. What a fascinating talk about the movement of water. I think the world needs more Sean's.

I just have to say thank you Summer and Sander and everyone involved in putting this video series out. I’ve learned so much. I’m about a year behind you with a newly acquired home/property not too far from Flock. We do have some water concerns with a couple of rivulets and a bit of marsh near a creek that is ebbing and flowing throughout the year. Always valuable information, see you around this summer!

I do exactly on my driveway what Shawn told you to do on your driveway. In Spring it needs more attention but once you have your little water paths (ditches) set...its just quick maintenance. They do work and Shawn has set you on the right natural path. Before a big rain just check the channels to make sure the are clear to run. Just something to add to your to list but once you have them its just a quick check that nothing is clogging the streams. Water will find its easiest path to flow so you can help it finds its directions. So nice you had Shawn to help you.

LOVED talking about this subject! I've also got water issues at my own house. My property is the lowest on my street, and when we have flash flood rainstorms (in Texas, this is quite common during wet years) the majority of run-off for the entire street ends up gathering in my yard, pooling, then slowly moving out toward the lake, which is 1000 feet away. Twice since I've lived here, the pooling water level has gotten so high that it seeps into my house between the foundation and the walls! YIKES!! We joke that at our house "A River Runs Through It" ! Except in those years, it's not so funny... Our entire property is on a slight incline, so directing the water is totally doable. It's just a matter of doing it the right way, minimizing erosion, maximizing water pathways, slowing the speed of flow, while still avoiding too much pooling. Just exactly all the things y'all are talking about today. I've been observing the water run-off here at my suburbian property for the past 20 years, which IS a very long time to just observe! However, our weather patterns are never reliably similar from year to year. AND - If we had only just moved here even in the last 5 years, we never would have known about the flash flood issues. (It's been quite dry over here the past 5 years, relatively speaking.) At any rate- THIS IS THE YEAR I'm finally able to do something about it! Woot! Woot!! We can change the water patterns of where it goes for the better. And do it with confidence. It will be an entire landscape revamp, except of course, for moving the old growth oaks! I can honestly say observing, and REMEMBERING these events for such a long time will definitely be valuable information. I'm glad we waited. We will be doing a lot of the same things y'all will be doing, albeit on a smaller scale! I also LOVED the "how to shave with a shovel lesson" !! My hubs really is a bit stuck in his ways when it comes to the ergonomics of using a shovel! And I'm crossing my fingers he is open to learning a new way to save his back when using a shovel ! I think the visual how-to will be very helpful. Thank You for that!! I look forward to following y'all's progress! P.S. I see you're still covered in snow... I kinda figured you were... This year in particular our Spring is quite hot, today it will be getting up to around 85°F. if YOU can imagine THAT! It's definite t-shirt weather as I am working in the garden today! This hot weather makes it hard to imagine how cold it still is up North! While my Daffodils are a bit late in their progress due to lack of rain, they are now blooming their heads off down here!! Yippeee!! Which has helped calm my desire to see your THOUSANDS OF BULBS blooming THEIR heads off!! But Don't worry, I am still chomping at the bit for your magnificent bloom show!! I wouldn't miss it for all the videos on You Tube!!! Thanks for sharing your journey! ❤️

48:23 I really appreciate this portion where Sean talks about the importance of helping a landscape become complex and “lumpy“ after having been smoothed out by machine work. It seems to be quite a profound principle.

honestly i really liked how he specifically used "ask" for the water, respecting it in a way. also the shovel tips YES

I love this! It's hard not to get excited watching it. OK, that may be a niche response. As someone who got a degree in forestry a gazillion years ago, and then spent a couple of years as both a building labourer and lumberjack to gain practical skills I loved the section following 1:01:32 - "tree planting, ditch digging, soil healing, lumberjacks"! I can do all of that! Then I did a "proper" job helping - showing - others what to do in sub-Saharan Africa in arid land forestry for a few years, linking me with Joey, kinda sorta. And North Western Europe. Only a 40 year gap. I heartily endorse bracing your spade/shovel against your hip or knee - you will be able to dig for 8 hs a day if necessary; my workmates and I did. Now semi-retired, I sit in a comfy chair and watch you - what's not to love?

Been following Sean for years, great to see his practical skills & wisdom being appreciated!

I love watching this journey! It makes me want to look into volunteer or internships to help out land restoration

Thank you for letting us become educated along with your journey. I particularly enjoyed the exchange of knowledge and experience between all three of you.

What a treat to have Edible Acres out! I would bring him down to Texas if it's an option when we get our property! I've learned a lot and from that gotten out in our yard to direct water flows with hand tools.... that is maybe the most fun I have doing anything - playing with subtle water ways

Oh yeah...soft spoken, loveable Shaun.♥️♥️♥️♥️

Lots of interesting wetlands and boggy areas to work with… great aerial and underwater shots - love those!

Beautiful work and such a gentle approach to repairing the land. Jenny (South Australia)

If you want to permanently fix the surface of your gravel driveway, I highly recommend a land plane! It sorts the slightly larger gravel to the top to stop erosion and fix some of your wet spots-you can use the depth of that tool as well to create swales so the water can drain as well like Sean was saying

Just fascinating! How great to have suggestions both better and easier!

The road part : With your clay/silt one can litterally see the flow of water, so powerful !!! I’m loving the simple ’do it with a shovel, repeat many times, get the same effet as a big tool'

Going through into spring growth would make for a very awesome time lapse video, if you have any interest in doing that. Can't wait to see the growth after removing all the textile fabric stuff!

Oh my you got Sean from Edible Acres over ! Wonderful ! He sure has done some efficient and thoughtful work on two or three sites we see in depth on his channel. I’m in a dry climate so it’s wonderfully refreshing.

What a great resource you have with Sean. Really useful ideas.

Already love and subscribe to Edible Acres, so really appreciated this episode. So much good and practical information.

Wonderful collaboration

Thank you so much for sharing this problem solving thought process! Fascinating!

You mentioned a lot of wet areas...consider buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). It's a native shrub that likes wet soil and is a great pollinator plant.

Don't know how close you want to draw wildlife toward the house, but the ice slick by the sedges is begging to be made into a frog pond or ponds. Place some big stones or small boulders in deeper water and song birds will use as ground level bird baths. Ours are really active mere feet from the house: box turtles, frogs, song birds, chipmunks, squirrels, deer everything uses the mini ponds - song birds and frogs every day. We keep them small and have evergreen and other bushes adjacent for cover. Not sure how larger "frog" ponds (which you could do as well) would be for managing the wildlife close to a house. Tiny water very close by adds a lot. Sometimes we run a small fountain in these spots, and the sound of moving or falling water also is great. Tiny, dynamic water spots, especially if made wild-like can add as much or more life and wildness to most days as a much larger pond farther away.

I appreciated what Sean had said about getting the water away from directly beside the road. Maybe the water bars along the driveway can turn into the swales?

Loving this journey you’re on! Are rain gardens something you have considered and would it be appropriate for your property? 🌧 🌱

we also have a spring fed pond with a 8 inch overflow. i have been looking into the possibility of getting a turbine hooked up to generate a little bit of extra power. we also have a small stream that empties into the pond which during a heavy rain can truly become a raging torrent and is actually silting in the pond. i have seen tiny (bottle cap size) turbines being used in streams in indonesia to run led lights which are a great option when you have no electricity. i am hoping in the future to re route the stream so that it meanders through the landscape and then empties into the overflow stream on the backside of the pond. we can then dredge the pond back out. i want some paddle fish and sturgeon for visual interest. if you have moving water a ram jet pump is another great option to move water around or even up hill.

Xx!. Thanks again

Between April 11th and 13th, the part of my country had severe flooding. Roads, houses, and people were washed away. The death toll was over six hundred, many people lost friends and family members. It is a prime example of what the consequence of the damage we do to our planet is. The amount of litter that was washed down the rivers was eye opening. We need to act.

Maybe put some poles up at the places u have a road water bar so u can keep an eye on them where they are and if they work well.

This was really helpful to see! Also - I ADORE your sweater! What a gem

Love the small changes that will redirect the water run-off. Is Red Twig Dogwood native in the Finger Lakes area?? It's very pretty and can live in full sun and standing water. Winter interest.

Love love love Sean! Check out Kris Harbour on RU-vid for his hydro systems.

TIP for ADHD watchers: if you cut to minute 50:00 the practical part of the video is super useful and also very interesting. Beautiful to watch this water management technique in action

Cool Vid. Personally I wouldnt recommend putting woody vegetation on dam embankments just grasses that should be mowed periodically to keep woody vegetation out. The roots can weaken the dam and lead to blowout. I have worked on stormwater ponds my entire career so this is the traditional approach to embankments management. He is so right, clearing the outlet is probably the most important part of that pond.cheers

Parabéns! Beautiful peaceful place!

The conclusion part : oh nooo, Sean has given Summer Rayne more excuses to plant, and Sander more excuses to engineer and build and work on stuff ;)

Fantastic information 😊😊😊

greetings from Indonesia good video thank you for sharing hope you are always good and healthy

Have you explored ways to make hydro energy for the floating house? Love the videos also!

Have you considered raised wooden sidewalks through the “marshy” area near your house/barn?

wow i really enjoyed this episode!

Great video!

In regards to your issues with wet soil in that walkway area. I think the easiest thing to do it rework your walkway to go around, and lean into the wet conditions. Small water/bog gardens, or even just general planting for wet soils. Lots of native plants are ideal for these conditions. Betula, Viburnum, Ilex, Kalmia, Cornus, Andromeda, Salix, Rhododendron canadense, Rhododendron groenlandicum, Cephalanthus, etc are great native woody plants for these conditions. Herbaceous native plants ranging from Iris, Eupatorium, various asters, Asclepias incarnata, Sisyrinchium, Rosa palustris, Symplocarpus, Lobelia, Chelone, Sarracenia, Caltha, various orchids, various ferns, etc would also be great. If you lean into non natives a bit it really broadens your horizons… Rodgersias, Primulas, Darmera, Astilbe, and even some wet loving bulbs such as Camassia, and Fritillaria meleargis, etc. However if you don’t want to rework your walkways you could dig a stream that will allow the water to move to a more desirable area. Where this intersects your walkway, you can always do raised boardwalk sections. Soil amendment may work, but it would be a really big project, because you’d be looking to add a lot of organics to help break down thick clay and then add a lot of grit to increase to help soil drain.

Learned a lot.

Top project. Ik volg nog steeds.

New here and i’ve been binge watching everything lol. I’m still a couple years away from buying land though lmao this helps a lot

Great content and analysis but I did laugh when Sean said a truck load of woodchip and "an hour or two" :o I guess you're using a bobcat or skidsteer as I'm currently trying to get a truckload of chip into a 7 acre woodland via a wheelbarrow and it's taking weeks. It's dense woodland so it is a different context but if it's as big an area as the camera makes it look I'd advise against using a wheel barrow, a quad with a front loader or tractor could be needed. The woodchip is certainly a great idea and you will start to get lots of mushrooms in a year or two. Also worth mentioning, if the water pools first around the woodchip and then starts to flow with more volume the water will move it, the chip will only stay put if it just pools i.e it won't just float in my experience, but as soon as it starts to have a flow, everything follows. Very observant and informative video, thanks.

My concern with adding any power generation to a pond outlet would be restricting flow. In a major weather event I'd want the full diameter of the pipe, allowing as fast a flow as possible.

Beautiful

Yes

hank you for sharing a good video waiting for the next video

Fantastic video! Please do a follow up video soon 🙂🙃😊

Maybe for the driveway look at dutch driveways in polders (xander will know what that is) and see what u can use from those examples and how u can apply that to ur driveway perhaps. If im correct im not sure the netherland and new york state are on the same horizontal line of the earth. So we have similar climates.

Watching this has me asking again "why is rain fall measured in inches and not gallons or liters." Also thanks for the good content.

Did Mr. Froggy say hello?😊🐸🐸

The US Department of Agriculture (NRCS) has programs that provide advice and financial assistance for things like water conservation and soil mapping and management.

Genius

Waterbar - I grew up in the alps and that kind of feature is rather common in alpine road systems because water events are frequent and hard. In many cases they sink steel channels (they look like two small railroad rails welded together) into the gravel of mountain trails and roads - it also helps keep the grade level because in the mountains you also often have livestock walking the roads. These guys did something similar: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JK67C1PUFgE.html

Geoff Lawton just did a video about how his farm did with the massive amounts of rain they've had. Interesting to see where their dam/bank failed ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XIn00ihb3hU.html

this is to cool

when are you expecting all those bulbs to that you planted to come up? looking forward to that.

44:15 stop cutting the trees first 😂😂 and certainly in that place

Birches sucks up a lot of water too.

I hope to have access to a pond/marsh area in the future to grow native wild rices and build chinampas gardens

What about some willow trees

Try planting bald cypress which can tolerate wet soils.

Could you plant lingonberry, low growing blueberry and smaller ferns to replicate natural woodland?

Do you have a high population of ticks on your property? And if so, what precautions do you take to protect yourselves?

Displace the barn on higher ground ??? And the water can go it's own way ???

If i had a shovel,🎶 I'd shovel in the morning🎶..... all over this land... 🎶🤠 I've been looking for your pond videos. Did you find someone who knows how to protect ducks from predators? I have only seen duck islands, where they all sat, which maybe protected them, from humans, in the park. I guess that it depends on your predators🦅.Even a duck gazebo could be invaded. Maybe they will move into your floating house.

How did you get the topographic info?

you should plow and do some cover crops, add more organic but pay attention to ph also - you may need to add some lime - now is a good time - do some small plots and experiment, compare results #amendment

I never comment on videos, in fact I have an app that doesn't let me even see them BUT this video was SO informative and what Sean said was so intuitive I couldn't help but congratulate you on this extremely rich video. I loved it. Keep on going :)

It looks to me like the water could be falling off the barn roofs and draining down hill across the driveway

Really good episode! What was he saying when referring to a hooval (sp?)!mounds?

do some grading and bring in sand and gravel, do some french drains, bring in more cow manure and compost and do some plowing - you are doing restoration and the green houses gravel is still a lot to get over - you just need to adapt and take action see what happens and keep optimizing

Does anyone have news of the 70,000 planted bulbs?

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🌷💚🙃

50:00 This is what I'm after at the moment. It's an artificial crafted environment. But when your farm is surrounded like mine is by typical dairy/cash crop operations, a little forced diversity seems like the right response.

Seems like multi million dollar homes is the end goal for this project.

I love her, hate her, want to be her.

Nothing said by a person with a man bun has ever been true.

Sean is rigt, the downspouts of barn and house can be a source of a lot of water...

Beautiful, photos,,,, water management sooo important... Good 4 u..... Best wishes

I’d argue that permaculture and diy civil engineering go hand-in-hand. You do some grading here and there to help things go along with nature better because prior owners have messed with things.

Loved this video, Thank you for sharing your knowledge,,

This channel is amazing.

Great information thanks