Swales & Keyline: Reading Water in the Land

Periana Ecovillage · Periana, Spain

A weekend learning to read a slope and slow the rain: mark contour, dig swales, and lay out keyline so water soaks in instead of running off.

Survey contour and mark a swale by eye and levelDig and shape a working swale on the landLay out a simple keyline pattern across a slope

What you'll learn

Read how water moves across a landscape
Set out swales and keyline on contour
Plan earthworks that recharge groundwater

What the land gains

New swales cut to harvest the winter rain
A dry slope set up to soak instead of erode

The host site

Periana Ecovillage

A 240-hectare regenerative landscape in formation

A vast Andalusian landscape is being shaped into an ecovillage from the ground up. Water, soil, and community are all works in progress here, with room for ambitious projects and people who want to help lay the foundations.

Your teacher

Yusuf Demir

Agroforestry & water designer

4.9 · 47 reviews · 13 yrs teaching