Abstract
Rainwater harvesting is fast becoming an optional source of water for homes, landscape and wildlife. Rainwater has been growing in popularity in the Texas Hill Country for homes by reducing demand on municipal water supplies and water wells and providing opportunities to build homes with no other source of water. The first known Master Gardener Specialist program in Rainwater Harvesting will be held in Menard, Texas and hosted by Texas Cooperative Extension and myself in June 2006. Demonstration models have been installed in 7 different counties at public schools in Central and West Texas with my assistance. My house is totally on rainwater and collected data shows we use 35 gallons of water per person a day in our home and have the ability to maintain our home on less than 9 inches of rainfall per year. I serve on the America Rainwater Capture Systems Association board as the Central United States representative, I have assisted with several publications including Harvesting Rainwater For Wildlife to be out in January 2006, Rainwater Harvesting an Extension booklet published in August 2004 and Rainwater Harvesting in West Texas. I have given presentations on the basics of rainwater harvesting throughout Texas and serve on Extensions Rainwater Task Force. I would like to provide information on the Master Gardener Specialist Program, provide data from my home and educational efforts of Texas Cooperative Extension and other governmental agencies.
Comments
Abstracts of presentations given on Tuesday, 18 July 2006, in session 3 of the UCOWR Conference.