By Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 02/13/2025

Water is a primary and valuable natural resource. A reduction of available water negatively impacts social and environmental health, causing disruptions that affect our daily lives. A phenomenon causing this reduction is drought, defined as a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period. Drought is a cascading phenomenon; the first impact is prolonged dry spells that affect water supply, which in turn affect food supply. Drought disrupts natural ecosystems and reduces availability for human use, causing water shortages and leading to increased utility costs. You can monitor current and review historical drought conditions documented through the National Integrated Drought Information System online at https://drought.gov/states/Texas. As of this writing, the majority of Brazos County is listed in moderate drought conditions. While we are more fortunate than our neighbors in far west Texas that are listed in exceptional drought, I recommend not taking available fresh water for granted. We do take an active role as stewards of this precious resource by modifying our daily practices to conserve water such as fixing toilets and leaky pipes, being mindful by turning off the tap when not in use and shortening our shower time. We can also include the same practices in landscape maintenance, such as adjusting the irrigation schedule to seasonal rain events, using the cycle and soak method of landscape application to prevent runoff, and prioritizing fixing landscape irrigation leaks to prevent water loss.

A popular method for harvesting rainwater is by making a personal rain barrel and actively directing water from a roof into a storage container. The water captured in this method is non-potable, and practical uses are having a resource for hand watering plants, filling bird baths or enhancing small water features. The benefit of capturing rainwater reduces our use of municipal or well water as well as reducing runoff and erosion. Rainwater has a pH of about 6 and is naturally soft water, making it ideal for watering plants. For example, I have tropical, ornamental Tulip ginger plants that are sensitive to alkaline water, and I use water collected into my rain barrel to irrigate these beauties. A rain barrel can be purchased ready to use from a local retailer, or you can construct your own and be proud of a job well done. Constructing a rain barrel is a manageable effort, requiring tools you may already have in your toolbox or are readily obtainable from the local hardware store. A rain barrel system is simple, connecting your barrel to the downspout of a gutter and capturing liquid gold. The best container size is a 50-gallon barrel made of recycled, food-grade plastic that is opaque to keep out light and reduce mold.

Additional methods for harvesting rainwater include creating a rain garden to reduce supplemental water and improve landscape capture. I enjoy designing a rain garden, cultivating my personal creativity and choosing a variety of plants appropriate for the task while contributing to conservation efforts. Rain gardens are landscaping in a shallow depression that collects rainwater runoff from roofs, driveways and other surfaces. The function is to hold water for a relatively short period of time, allowing water to seep into the surrounding soil within one to two days. We are not creating a wetland with standing water; we are developing a feature that accommodates water absorption into the landscape. Rain gardens can be self-designed and installed for as little as $5 per square foot, but using an experienced landscaper may be a better option and estimate $10 or more per square foot. While plants are typically the most expensive item on the plan, they are the most important feature that brings beauty of form to function. Always remember to follow municipal ordinances or HOA restrictions regarding landscape modifications. They can be aesthetically pleasing landscape features that retain and treat collected stormwater.

Brazos County Master Gardeners and yours truly offer rainwater conservation programs throughout the year.  We partner with City of College Station Save Water program manager Jennifer Nations and staff from Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District. From our website, we also offer fact sheets and information like plant lists and resources that support your gardening efforts. Conserve and serve is my daily mantra, you all take care and I’ll see you in the garden.