The guide

With only 12-14 inches of rain a year, capturing roof and surface runoff stretches every storm - and New Mexico allows residential rooftop rainwater harvesting.

• Catch roof runoff in rain barrels or a cistern at the downspouts; screen inlets and cover openings to keep out mosquitoes and debris.
• Size it simply: about 0.6 gallons run off per square foot of roof per inch of rain, so even small storms fill barrels fast.
• Shape the land to soak in - shallow basins, swales, and mulched depressions slow and capture runoff around plants.
• Direct overflow well away from the house foundation; use harvested water on landscape plants, not for drinking.
• Empty and protect barrels before hard freezes so they do not crack.