[Pil-pc-oceania] swale building rebates? APT role?

[RussGrayson]

Hi Sue...
Any civil engineer should be able to plan and oversee the construction of
swales. They might not know them by that name, however, using the term
'contour ditches' instead.

There was a well-performing swale at Fairfield City Farm when I was a
Landcare educator there, just downslope of the café in what was then (and
now is?) the Urban Landcare Model Permaculture Home Garden, near the
rotational chook grazing installation and below the southern hemisphere's
longest work farm. Habitat and Harmony Community Garden, at Belmont
(southern Hunter region) has a number of sales on gently sloping land that I
have seen brim full and that appear to be successful.

That was in clay soil, which I assume is what you have out at Macarthur
district.

The Water Resources Commission (or whatever they are now) used to test soils
for suitability for dam construction; maybe they still do (that was Fiona's
job when she lived in Albury - farm dam design that included soil resting).

I don't think you have to worry about peak oil shortages just yet. Maybe
biofuels will be used for this sort of work, I assume they will be somewhere
in the mix.

...Russ

On 20/11/07 8:01 PM, "mossmans" <mossmans at internode.on.net> wrote:

>  
>  
>   _____  
> 
> Interested in both comments
>  
> Firstly that it is not hard to build a swale - and suggest it is hard,
> without major plant.  Which brings a second issue, what will we do when peak
> oil hits and we cant use heavy plant??
>  
> Then there is the issue, that I would prefer a person to make my swales to
> have a PDC and at least know the reason and process.  So don't suppose
> Mathew is in Sydney - I need some swales.  If Mathew isnt, then is there
> someone here???
>  
> How will I find out?
>  
> Sue Mossman
>  
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