Today's show is about the second layer of designing resilient homestead properties. Last week we started with the basic principles of holistic whole-site water system design. This week, we build on that with the basic principles that guide holistic access design and implementation across broadacre landscapes.

• Paradigm
  • Access can be an asset or liability - depends on design and maintenance
    • Every linear foot of access has a maintenance bill attached to it - design with this in mind!
  • Access should ideally improve hydrological function, at the very least be neutra
• Access Patterning Questions
  • Where do you / your animals / wildlife need to go?
    • Animals move between water, food and shelter.
  • What kinds of activities are/will be performed there and along the way?
  • What modes of transport does the route need to accommodate at which times of the year?
  • How should the access route be patterned and constructed to create the lowest possible maintenance profile while providing the necessary functionality?

Access DO's and DON'Ts

• DO
  • Minimize the use of impermeable hardscapes
  • Drain road surfaces early and often
    • Best Chance, No Chance, First Chance, Last Chance utilize grade changes
  • Cross valleys perpendicular to water flows at right angle to flow in riffles if driving through across dam walls (check dam, earthen embankment)
  • Follow ridge lines where appropriate (least drainage pressure)
  • Crown or slope the road surface appropriate to the context
    • Crowned = center of the road higher than both edges - generally 2-4% - drains to ditches on one or both sides
    • Insloped = drains water from road surface into the uphill cut bank - road is effectively holding water in the ditch
    • Outsloped = road sloped to downhill fill edge, discharges over a broad surface
• DON'T
  • Install roads following valley bottoms = this is short-sighted!
  • Transfer water from one watershed to another add grade changes w/ appropriate outsloping or cross drains!
  • Let roadways become entrenched! These cannot be drained effectively and will continue degrading - this is basically a creek!
  • Drive on a road when conditions aren't appropriate!

Show Resources

• Vehicle Access Drainage Prescriptions
• Incised Drainage Rehabilitation
• Episode 27 - Basics of Whole-Site Water Systems Design

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WHAT I DO:

Design:

On-Site Consultation

Online Site/Project Consultation

Holistic Ecosystem Design

Implementation:

Water Harvesting Earthworks

High-function, Low-Maintenance Access

Living Systems

Spring Development

Courses:

Minimum Holistic Goal

Media:

The Sovereign Homestead Podcast

YouTube

Instagram

Music by Alex Grohl