ILC Water Storage & Campus Beautification Fanice Chepkorir, Ahni Hecht Malissa Hubbard Melissa May Nathan Schwandt Abstract The goal of this proposal is to accurately present the means by which water harvesting could be accomplished for the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) on the main University of Arizona campus Rainwater is currently stored in a holding tank within the ILC with a given capacity of 26,000 gallons (3,300 cubic feet) Once the water level rises to a given point within the holding tank, a system of pumps channels the water out of the ILC and onto 4th street Because the water is not being used for any particular function, we propose it be re-channeled and used for irrigational purposes There is a small plot of land located between Bear Down Gym and the Science Library, which has the potential to be made into a native garden This paper explains the reasons for which water harvesting is a better alternative to the current method of disposal for ILC rainwater This paper outlines the concept of campus beautification associated with a native garden and the difficulties involved with accomplishing this goal Prepared by UNVR195A Water Resources in the Tucson Basin, Fall 2003 ILC Water Storage & Campus Beautification Introduction Water is one of the world’s most precious resources It seems to be an unlimited resource because we always seem to have it right at our fingertips ready to be used; however water is actually much scarcer than we believe and we are wasting a potential source of water, runoff water harvested from rooftops and landscaping Water harvesting is the act of recovering water from the environment and using it Some examples of water harvesting are collecting fields of water to be used at a later time, but it can be as simple as putting out a can to collect rainwater for you to water your plants with Water harvesting is very important and useful because it helps us conserve the most precious resource known to man and the environment Water harvesting holds particular importance in Arizona and the Tucson area because it is in a desert This desert has very arid soil, which means it does not have very much water in it Conserving water where there is not much water is vital for the environment Another problem with water in Tucson is that when it does rain hard flash floods hit all over town, by capturing some of this rainwater devastating flood damage can be reduced The University of Arizona itself does not widely practice water harvesting so much floodwater comes from the area, also there is so much vegetation on campus on which campus runoff water could be is used for landscaping irrigation If some of the rainwater could be harvested it could be used to water some of the vegetation in the area and it could help conserve water The Integrated Learning Center in particular already has a room that collects rain and runoff water from the mall area, but the water is not being used for anything and it is simply being pumped out onto the streets during heavy rains, increasing the flood problem If we could utilize the water in the ILC we could be conserving water on campus and helping reduce the floods of other areas as well as reducing the amount of money spent on water With this in mind we looked into finding a way to use this water successfully without messing up the structural properties of the very watertight ILC We could use this water to vegetate some of the surrounding area Materials & Methods When determining what to with the water in the ILC, it was necessary to first a little research We contacted Mr Dourlein and Mr Dolan to find out how much water drains into the ILC, where it is stored, how much water is held, and other such information We made a visit to the ILC with Mr Dolan to see the storage room and pumping system Then we checked out a few books from the library on native flowers of the area, so we could plan our garden We found a spot to put our garden which already has an irrigation system that we can use as a backup, to find out the details of this we contacted the grounds supervisor, Ms Janine Corbin Results In order to use the water being collected in the ILC we propose running a small hose or pipe up through an existing pipe, of about 10 inches in diameter, coming out of the water room Our hose will then exit the pipe from a large concrete box located between Bear Down Gym and the Science Library The amount of water that comes through the hose will be controlled by a small pump that will be installed down in the ILC, this will control the pressure inside the hose and volume of water being used as well as maintain equilibrium with the existing tank and pipe The tank inside the ILC has a capacity of about 26,000 gallons (3,300 cubic feet) of water maximum We have assumed it is filled about twice in one year so we have about 50,000 gallons (6,700 cubic feet) of water to work with in one year The irrigation requirements by month are as follows for a turf area of 1860 square feet A storage tank of 2952 cubic feet would be the minimum required, but the current ILC tank has a greater capacity These numbers are based off of fillings of the ILC storage tank which would be equivalent to 52,000 gallons or (6,700 cubic feet) Turf Irrigation Requirements for 1860 sq ft Months Irrigation Requirements by Month in cubic feet January 159 February 243 March 516 April 805 May 1045 June 1106 July 716 August 594 September 640 October 500 November 290 December 107 Total 6723 It is proposed that this water be used to irrigate a small garden nearby Bear Down Gym that will be filled with plants native to the Tucson area The garden is 17 ft by 47 ft and has an area of 791 square ft There is enough water to irrigate 1860 ft2 of turf This shows that there is a surplus of water that can be used to water this garden The garden plot itself is not a perfect rectangle, but has a small triangle of concrete obstructing it, this has been considered in the calculations There are also two trees in the plot of land we are planning to utilize which can provide shade for the plants that need it Some of the plants we propose to use for this project are desert shrubs such as the Rock Rose Mallow, the Desert Rose Mallow, the Indian Mallow, and the Pink Fairy Duster We would also like to include some desert vines such as the Twining Snapdragon, and of course we would like to include some traditional plants such as the native Banana Yucca These plants which will not require a great amount of water will help beautify the school as well as preserve some of Tucson and the deserts natural beauty Discussion The information that was found determines that it is possible to something with the water being stored in the ILC Logistically it would not be that impossible to use it, and not that costly By taking a few simple steps, the U of A could add a great amount of beauty to their campus, and show that they understand water should not go to waste Getting the water out of the ILC and into a usable place is the trickiest part of this plan, but it can be done The flower garden would add a lot of beauty to that area, and it would be good to have a display of all native flowers that everyone can learn about To water it using normal water the costs would be outrageous Watering this garden using harvested water makes this a cheap beautification project There is more than enough water in the ILC to water all the flowers chosen because they not require that much water The spot for the flowers is perfect because it is right next to the water outlet and it would be simple to run a hose directly to the irrigation system The irrigation system will be fairly simple to set up, and there is a backup irrigation system already there in case the ILC doesn't get as much water as planned The beauty of this plan is that the water is already there for our use Harvesting water is usually the more difficult step, so we just have to take the easy one, and use it For specifics we got some information by email from Mr Grant McCormick, University of Arizona Campus Planner Conclusion We have concluded that water harvesting is the main source for development at University of Arizona A successful harvest depends on the ability to preserve water and land Individuals can help reduce storm water problem by capturing and reusing rainwater in irrigation and other purposes This report is intended to send a message to the general population telling them that water harvesting is going to start to have to be put into practice soon, not just in the ILC, but in everyday life and buildings If enough people practice water harvest in the University of Arizona buildings and even in the city, it is possible that some of urban flooding problems would be reduced As individuals, groups, and communities, let us all wake up before it is too late and not only understand what water harvesting is all about, but implement measures to harvest rain water in our homes, offices and classrooms and use it to replace other sources of water References 1) Desert Accent Plants Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society, 1992 2)Desert Bird Gardening Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society and Tucson Audubon Society, 1997 3)Desert Butterfly Gardening Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society and Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institution, 1996 4)Desert Ground Covers and Vines Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society, 1991 5)Desert Grasses Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society, 1993 6)Desert Shrubs Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society, 1990 7)Desert Wildflowers Tucson: Arizona Native Plant Society, 1991 8)Mielke, Judy Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993 9)Shuler, Carol Low Water Use Plants for California and the Southwest Tucson: Fisher Books, 1993 10) http://www.library.arizona.edu/aboutlib/iif/iif.htm 11) http://www.edwardscape.com/ilc/ilchome.shtml 12) Arin Haverland 13) Brian Dolan, Construction Project Manager and Facilities Design and Construction 14) Grant McCormick, Campus Planner and Campus Facilities and Planning 15) J.J Riley 16) Janine Corbin, Grounds Supervisor and Facilities Management Operations Services ... To water it using normal water the costs would be outrageous Watering this garden using harvested water makes this a cheap beautification project There is more than enough water in the ILC to water. . .ILC Water Storage & Campus Beautification Introduction Water is one of the world’s most precious resources It seems to be an... examples of water harvesting are collecting fields of water to be used at a later time, but it can be as simple as putting out a can to collect rainwater for you to water your plants with Water harvesting