Keyline design
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- For the graphics design term see Keyline.
Keyline design is a technique for maximizing beneficial use of water resources of a piece of land, and the Keyline refers to a specific topographic feature linked to water flow. Beyond that however, Keyline can be seen as a collection of design principles, techniques and systems for development of rural and urban landscapes.
Keyline design was developed in Australia by farmer and engineer P. A. Yeomans, and described and explained in his books The Keyline Plan, Water For Every Farm and The Challenge of Landscape.
The basic idea behind Keyline is to examine the topography of the site identifying several features namely ridges and valleys and the natural water courses. In a valley, a point called the Keypoint can be found where the lower and flatter portion of a primary valley suddenly steepens. A contour line – the Keyline – is formed by plotting all the points on the slope that are at the same elevation as the keypoint. Plowing parallel to the Keyline, both above and below will tend to drift rainwater away from the valley centre and prevent erosion. As opposed to contour plowing, this technique has the plow go up in the valleys and down along ridges which keeps rainfall up at the ridge tops longer, rather than allowing it to run down the slope into water courses, thus improving soil nutrition and health. In Australia, it is important to get the most from the scarce instances of rainfall. The Yeomans technique differs from traditional contour plowing in several important respects and the limitations of the traditional systems was an important motivational factor in the development of the system.
David Holmgren, one of the founders of Permaculture, used Yeoman's Keyline principle extensively in the formulation of Permaculture concepts and the design of sustainable human settlements and organic farms. A topographical example can be seen on (37°09′33″S 144°15′08″E / 37.159154°S 144.252248°E[1]).
Keyline also includes concepts for rapid soil fertility enhancement and these concepts are explored in Priority One by P. A. Yeomans' son Allan. Yeomans and his sons were also instrumental in the design and production of special plows and cultivating equipment for use in conjunction with the keyline methodology. yeomans plow
References
- Yeomans, P. A., The Keyline Plan (1954) Online version
- Yeomans, P. A., The Challenge of Landscape : the development and practice of keyline, Keyline Pub. Pty., Sydney, (1958).
- Yeomans, P. A., Water for Every Farm: A practical irrigation plan for every Australian property, K.G. Murray Publishing Company, Pty, Ltd, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia (1973) ISBN 0-646-12954-6/ISBN 0-909325-29-4..
- Yeomans, A., Priority One: Together we Can Beat Global Warming, Keyline Publishing Co. (2005) ISBN 0-646-43805-0 online version
- MacDonald-Holmes, J., University of Sydney, Geographical and Topographical Basis of Keyline
- Spencer, L, Keyline and Fertile Futures (2006) Online Version