Computer Model – Rainwater Harvesting
North Carolina State University
"A computer model is available for download to assist in determining the appropriate cistern size for a given situation. The model uses rainfall data and anticipated usage to establish cistern inputs and outputs and provides a cost summary and usage statistics in a report form. "
Guidance on the Use of Rainwater Tanks (1998, 29 pages, pdf)
David A. Cunliffe, National Environmental Health Forum Monographs (Australia)
How to Build Your Own Rainwater Harvesting System (Online tutorial)
Department of Watershed Management, City of Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.)
How to Disconnect your Downspout (Webpage)
City of Chicago, Illinois
Rainwater Catchment Systems for Domestic Supply: Design, Construction and Implementation (2000, 320 pp, Book)
Eric Nissen-Petersen and John Gould
The prime focus of the book is on implementation of roof and ground catchment systems for meeting either total or supplementary household water requirements. All aspects of design and construction are covered including simple methods of sizing systems, erection of gutters, choice of materials, construction techniques, training, operation, and maintenance. In a addition, non-technical factors such as water quality, health, social, financial, cultural, political, institutional, and general issues are discussed.
Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged (2006, 108 pp, Book)
Suzy Banks and Richard Heinichen, Tank Town Publishing
"This handbook will teach almost anyone how to install a personal rainwater collection system. It covers the entire works; from determining how much rainwater you'll need to troubleshooting a problem pump. You'll learn how to hang gutters, run your trunk line, install check valves, and disinfect your rainwater without using chemicals. Illustrations and photographs help make installing a rainwater harvesting system a snap for the do-it-yourselfer."
Rainwater Harvesting (Website)
AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volume 1: Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain Into Your Life and Landscape (2006, 200 pp, Book)
Brad Lancaster, Rainsource Press
"This is Volume One of the three-volume set, Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands. Volume One helps bring your site to life, reduce your cost of living, endow you with skills of self-reliance, and create living air conditioners of vegetation growing beauty, food, and wildlife habitat. It's full of stories of people who are successfully welcoming rain into their life and landscape will invite you to do the same Taken together, the complete three-volume set guides you on how to conceptualize, design, and implement sustainable water-harvesting systems for your home, landscape, and community."
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volume 2: Water-Harvesting Earthworks (2006, 448 pp, Book)
Brad Lancaster, Chelsea Green Publishing
"Building on the information presented in Volume 1, this book shows you how to select, place, size, construct, and plant your chosen water-harvesting earthworks. It presents detailed how-to information and variations of a diverse array of earthworks, including chapters on mulch, vegetation, and greywater recycling so you can customize the techniques to the unique requirements of your site."
Rainwater Harvesting In Situ (Webpage)
Organization of American States
The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting (2005, 88 pages, pdf)
Texas Water Development Board, Third Edition
"The scope of this manual is to serve as a primer in the basics of residential and small-scale commercial rainwater harvesting systems design."
Using Rainwater to Grow Livable Communities: Sustainable Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) (Webpage with multiple links)
Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)
"This website is designed to encourage and facilitate the integration of stormwater BMPs into development projects in your area by providing tools and resources for effective communication and implementation as well as in-depth case studies that examine BMP integration in several cities across the United States."
Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds for Domestic Supply, Fire and Emergency Use. Includes How to Make Ferrocement Water Tanks (2005, 125 pp, Book)
Art Ludwig, Oasis Design
"A do-it-yourself guide to designing, building, and maintaining water tanks, cisterns and ponds, and sustainably managing groundwater storage. It will help you with your independent water system, fire protection, and disaster preparedness, at low cost and using principles of ecological design. Includes building instructions for several styles of Ferro cement water tanks."
