Swale Obsession in Permaculture: When They’re Not the Best Solution
For anyone who has been in the permaculture movement for a while, you’ve likely encountered the swale obsession—the idea that swales are the ultimate solution for water management and landscape hydration. Swales have been glorified in countless designs, often overbuilt, misunderstoodd, and difficult to maintain. But let’s step back for a second: Are swales always the best tool for the job?
The Myth of the Permanent Swale
Permaculture is, at its core, about creating systems that last, yet swales—ironically—often require constant maintenance to function properly (Though a well maintained one can last 20 - 50 years). Erosion, sediment buildup, and vegetation overgrowth can quickly render them ineffective. And if they aren’t designed correctly, they actively harm soil hydrology rather than improving it.
A truly permanent system should require minimal ongoing inputs to stay functional. Yet, many swale projects either fail outright or require costly fixes to adjust depth, infiltration rates, or planting strategies. That doesn’t sound particularly permanent to me.
When Swales Go Wrong
One of the most common swale fails is over-scaling the design. The massive swales we often see in Geoff Lawton’s work in Australia are built for that specific environment—huge properties with hydrophobic soils and infrequent, high-intensity rainfall. That does not mean those same swale designs translate to every other climate and landscape.
Swales that are too deep often infiltrate water too far down, bypassing the root zone and making the soil drier, not wetter. This is especially problematic in areas with clay layers, fragipan, or plow pan, where a deep swale can permanently disrupt natural landscape hydrology by draining moisture away from the surface.
The True Purpose of a Swale
They were designed to establish trees in the first two to three years when irrigation is not economically viable.
Historically the swale is largely irrelevant because tree systems, when mature, will infiltrate nearly 100% of the water they receive on their own. Several studies have shown that even young trees with a healthy understory infiltrate nearly all the rain they receive without the need for swales (ResearchGate).
Indigenous Water Harvesting Knowledge: A Missing Piece
While permaculture often references swales as a core technique, it’s important to acknowledge that water harvesting practices predate modern permaculture by millennia. Indigenous cultures around the world developed intricate and highly localized systems for managing water on the landscape, many of which offer valuable lessons beyond the traditional permaculture swale.
- Zuni Waffle Gardens (Southwest U.S.) – A system of grid-like depressions designed to capture rainwater and reduce evaporation in arid regions.
- Bunds & Contour Trenches (Africa & India) – Raised earthen ridges used to slow and retain water for agricultural plots.
- Waru Waru (Andean Highlands) – Elevated beds with water channels between them to regulate soil moisture and prevent flooding.
- Terracing (Asia, Andes, Mediterranean) – A method of shaping the land to reduce erosion and capture water, often incorporating swales within broader land-use strategies.
Indigenous water management systems emphasize adaptability—they evolve through generations of observation, experimentation, and refinement. Unlike modern permaculture swales, which are often applied rigidly, indigenous methods were tailored to specific microclimates, soil conditions, and cultural needs.
Misinterpreting Water Retention
A swale filling with water isn’t proof that it’s working—in many cases, it’s actually a sign that mechanical compaction during construction has reduced soil infiltration rates. If your swale isn’t holding water after a couple of years, that’s not failure—that’s success. It means the water is finally soaking into the ground, rather than pooling on the surface due to compacted subsoil.
Alternatives to Swales
So, what can you do instead of digging deep trenches across your landscape?
- Keyline Design – A more adaptive and gentle way to manage water flow across the land without creating high-maintenance ditches.
- Hügelkultur & Mulch – Building soil organic matter increases water infiltration naturally, no excavation required.
- Silvopasture & Agroforestry – If trees are the goal, why not plant them with protective understory crops instead of carving deep earthworks?
- Small-Scale, Shallow Swales – If swales are needed, keep them shallow and suited to your specific soil and climate. Bigger is not always better.
The Takeaway: Smarter Swales, Not Bigger Ones
The obsession with swales has led to oversized, overcomplicated systems that often don’t work as intended. Rather than defaulting to swales as a one-size-fits-all solution, it’s time to approach water management with more nuance and adaptability.
By integrating indigenous knowledge, site-specific analysis, and alternative techniques, we can move beyond dogmatic swale worship and into a broader, more effective practice of water management. Permaculture is a living practice, and it should continue evolving, incorporating lessons from the past and present to ensure resilient, long-lasting landscapes.