More thoughts on water

Posted by Don Binkley on November 4, 2009, 2:51 pm, in reply to "IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT WATER"
67.164.139.109

Perhaps we might see one day, LaManzanilla as Cabo san Lucas where the desert just blends into the beach. There are a couple studies out there showing shifts in the subtropic climate. http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/23/is-tropical-weather-moving-north-interview-with-oceanographer-julian-sachs/ There are also attempts to see if dengue is moving northward along with the monsoons. It looks like it is getting worse with aquifers shrinking and el Nino only adding to the drought. I remember my first place (now Judy R's) and there was a deep cistern to hold rooftop water runoff. Many Mexican homes in LaManzanilla have this feature, now considered as a breeding ground for dengue. But it's like a cycle where the old again becomes new. If just one small 10 foot square outbuilding can produce 1500 gallons of water (do the math using Deanna's stats) in a dry season, just think of what increased capture and containment space could produce. In New Mexico the water shortage is acute and houses are still under construction with square footage in excess of 5,000. The water usage is now very restricted for those who use public water but still there are over a thousand private wells tapping the aquifer just in Santa Fe county, There is also a new building code here in Santa Fe that requires the homeowner to install a 5000 gallon cistern for rainwater runoff from large homes that cover the drainage areas of the aquifer. Perhaps rainbarrels and cisterns (we have both!!) will return to LaManzanilla and it might be wise if obras publicas La Huerta started thinking about water conservation and home construction as the water gradually disappears. Even in LaManzanilla you can capture water for gardening with a barrel underneath the roof drain and be sure to cover the top of the barrel with window screen so the mosquito cannot reach the water to breed.

140

Be sure to visit www.lamanzanilla.info