royal agricultural college rain harvesting on the farm tom overbury
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Royal Agricultural
College
Rain Harvesting on the Farm
Tom Overbury
Royal Agricultural
College
Water supply to house put in in1935Some pipework replaced in 1980’sNo mains supply to farm buildings
Royal Agricultural
College
Now being
replaced by
wind generator
and solar
panels
Royal Agricultural
College
Water harvesting driven by need/meaness
Two set ups of two buildings each60 x 4-6 month calves in each building
Royal Agricultural
College
First uses 3 open tanks
Royal Agricultural
CollegeEach tank is 5.4 m3 (1,200 gallon)
Royal Agricultural
College
Second set up uses glass fibre tank
Tank capacity 28 m3 28,000 litres (6,000 gallons)
Royal Agricultural
College
Water collection
Localised flooding
Upkeep of guttering important
Royal Agricultural
College
Water quality
Can be stagnant water problems
Leaves, debris, dead partridges
Clean out prior to use
Guaranteed
to stop it
raining
Royal Agricultural
College
Over two buildings, 12.5 mm (½ in) of rain yields 6.3 m3 of water
(60 x 40 ft and 80 x 40 ft)
(18 x 12 m and 24 x 12 m)
Average winter monthly rainfall is say 80mm
Royal Agricultural
College
Potential savings
Average monthly winter rainfallNov-Jan 90mm per monthFeb-Mar 80 mm per monthApril 70 mm
Over two buildings, 80mm gives 40m3
Less 15% for evaporation gives 34m3
At cost of £1.13 / m3 = £38.40
N.B. Not all winter water is used
Royal Agricultural
College
Potential savings
Say use 15 litres per calf per day
120 calves use 54 m3 per month
At cost of £1.13 / m3 = £61.00 per month
Royal Agricultural
College
Once you have routed all the run off to one place, it is crucial to allow for the excess once the tanks are full.
Royal Agricultural
College
MDC Effective use of Water on Dairy Farms• http://www.dairyco.org.uk/media/10351/effectiveuseofwaterondairyfarms.pdf
Useful information: