Fasilides Bath, Gondar, Ethiopia. 📸: From Wikimedia Commons. 

Water and Land Restoration

It may seem impossible to recreate a lost native Highland Nature with its water supply using all these overwhelming modern technical possibilities. Therefore, if possible, a careful combination of well-being, pleasure, and relaxation can be achieved, where real Nature becomes essential in creating a pleasant environment for people. A possible example of a union between these human interests and Nature as the necessary support can be seen, for example, in beautiful, manufactured ponds with surrounding gardens and arboretums, where the abundant spring water provides Nature with irrigation to saplings and the creation of groundwater. 

A Classic Castle with Surrounding Spring Sources

Fairy Tales' Passions Come in the Heart's Desire

Therefore, the commonly occurring check dams represent an opportunity to recreate an environment that fits almost ideally for both people and Nature. For example, at the magnificent high plateau or even on its dramatic panhandles, placing a building like Fasilides Bath slightly downhill from a stream, connected by a traditional levada path (see the image and information below), would provide a comprehensive landscape of Nature with a fantastic water supply. However, in contrast to the water technology of check dams in ordinary historic buildings, such as Fasilides Bath in the picture above, this would contribute to visitors' attraction and a passion for the unique highland landscape. Thus, these historical architectures would enhance the interest in history and Nature restoration, while making these legendary castles one of the most alluring sites with facilities in a Nature Park. With this dramatic and slightly mythological architecture, this magnificent castle lodge, featuring a restaurant overlooking the water, entices fantasies and dreams in the cosiest and most hiking-friendly surroundings, nestled within and surrounded by the wilderness.

Indeed, it's not easy to trace the water's paths

 to these Highland dams. Watch videos.

Often, it seems impossible to stimulate private finance for 

investments that prioritize the health of the population 

and the country. Videos: The Castle of Highland Water

Madeira's levadas originated from the necessity of

bringing large amounts of water from the west  

and north of the island to the drier areas.

 Levada - Wikipedia

Highland Streams with Hiking Trails

However, these irrigation methods, exemplified by a classic levada, shown here to the right, typically require a more extensive and high-lying reservoir or natural aquifer source for reliable water flow. This method then allows a combination of pleasant hiking trails with delightful canals in the mountains. Hence, the nearly diminutive leaning of levadas enables both people's most pleasant promenade and the water's gentle flow. Such levada canals, accompanied by a water castle, would distribute water over a high plateau with great beauty and assist in nature restoration.

Historical International Influences

The historical records contain several practical and aesthetic possibilities for restoration. These options for aesthetic restoration include water management, ground stability, and the most attractive recreation paths. Another way to describe these methods for natural conservation is the effectiveness of the irrigation method when combined with gentle and beautiful hiking trails that lead above dizzying precipices. 

Enchanting Promenade 

Along the Mountainside       

Thus, a well-tuned gradient deviation from the landscape's contour line allows people to promenade along the mountainside while enjoying amazing Nature views, well stimulated by the silent purging of the water's gentle flow in these canals. Thanks to the prioritization of the strength and reliability of these paths with their integrated levada canals, these reinforced waterways coincide with the suitability of dramatically beautiful, safe and very gentle hiking trails. Furthermore, these levada canals, with their outer reinforced walkways, prevent the torrential deluges from undermining the otherwise tender mountainside soil. 

Magnificent Waterways in the Landscape

The reinforcement from these traditional levada paths controls, redirects, and mitigates the water's destructive torrential power, preventing it from mercilessly tearing up the slopes' fragile ground in deep furrows. This damaging phenomenon often indicates the onset of a significant risk for landslides and lahars. Finally, with the precarious case of the tender saplings of the indigenous vegetation, these levadas complete their purpose as the pure and potent source of protection and irrigation while also delivering the water to be filtered, absorbed and transported into deep-lying mountain chambers - natural water reservoirs with their underground rock branches and deep aquifers of the mountain massif.

Water Creation with Natural Beauty

Due to these options, human assistance and technology to
Heal Nature with classical irrigation reinforces the ground
with Indigenous trees and provide the environment with
increased spring water in streams and brooks during
the long seasonal periods of sunshine.
Spring Water with Bath

Human and Nature in Harmony

Thanks to the remote geological evolution of plants and ground-living organisms, they developed the primary tool to open the permeability of the Earth's surface layers. Thus, the roots of the native ancient plants liberated the otherwise water-repellent surface of the soil and gave the ground its water-absorbing properties; hence, with their intricately stabilizing fibrous root system, these plants in ancient times made a symbiosis with surrounding microorganisms.

The Ancient's Water and Strength

The roots of prehistoric plants thereby counteracted the water resistance of the densely packed ground and opened the soil's ability to stabilize porous permeability. This basic phenomenon between plants and soils allowed water to pass to deeper soil layers and aquifer regions. In this way, the origins of the naive vegetation and microorganisms in symbiosis interfered with their evolutionary optimization by cultivating the ground. 

Ethiopia's Nature with Water Harbouring Functions

The native Ethiopian vegetation served as a highly effective physical barrier, blocking the country's water masses from rushing in turmoil down its slopes toward Egypt. Due to Nature's natural ground pipes of native vegetation, the seasonal deluges had sophisticated water receivers into Ethiopia's thick soil layers. The deeper groundwater reservoirs thus had the properties to harbour the downpours. Hence, this original vegetation functioned as countless efficient water collectors with an intricate network of stems and a deeply anchored network of roots, further stabilizing the landscape and giving tremendous strength against erosion and deterioration.

Wasted and Lost Groundwater

Naturally, in prehistory, the soil layers, with the reinforcing assistance of roots in the dense forest and its undergrowth, would block the water's ability to speed downhill and, thus, harmoniously gather the flow into slow-moving, mountain-absorbing units. Unconditionally, this past harvest of native forest exposes and lays bare the soft soil layers, allowing the water forces to speed up and form devastating torrential powers. With efficiency, these mighty water masses tear up the slopes in deep furrows and simply drill many meters into the river's inflows. Finally, the indigenous vegetation fulfils its purpose as a pure and potent source of synergy with the natural soil layer by filtering and absorbing these water masses and passing them on to the deep-lying mountain chambers. These are the naturally occurring geological water reservoirs, with their underground rock formations and natural aquifers, within the mountain massif.

Ethiopia's Highland Nature  

The Country's Precious Water

This image forms the basis for understanding
 nature's water-bearing body. The water is kept
  Here, in the totality of this image, where both
 Vegetation, soil and rock make up this vital
water-bearing body to create this highly
valuable water-harbouring landscape.
Study of the water's complexity

Ethiopia's Natural Water Production

Furthermore, history's misdeeds against Ethiopia's natural forests and Nature have severely wounded the prehistoric ecological and geological heritage by interrupting the natural and critical processes of original soil creation, which are derived from the endemic decomposition of leaves and twigs. This genetically optimised process, resulting from the remains of indigenous trees in the leaves and twigs of the Ethiopian forest, had the vital ability to hinder the initiation of erosive torrents. This ground composting of leaves and twigs built the trees' ground and gave the soil's structure the required time to absorb deluges in this mountainous highland landscape.

The Natural Water Bodies of the Highland

Historical malefactors have severely weakened the country's original soil system, which is essential for guiding and assisting rainwater to the natural underground aquifers. Hence, the severe reduction in the remaining soil's ability to retain moisture severely reduced the amount of water delivered into the natural aquifers and, of course, reduced future chances for citizens to obtain clean household water. Of course, this phenomenon also raises hindrances to reintroducing indigenous species.

 

Pinterest: Ethiopia's Work and Obligations

Aquifers and their Importance for Civilizations

The Knowledge of these natural aquifers within the mountain massifs and their synergies with water-harbouring technologies is a highly valued historical legacy of antiquity. In their context, they are a well-known concept that helps to understand that a mighty mountain massif that receives abundant and regular precipitation with chilly temperatures also provides the conditions for harbouring this water. These historically developed technical and geological-based methods for managing and conserving enormous amounts of water are often technically complex yet aesthetically superb. The methods of this water technology vary significantly between different cultures and continents. Still, in the legacy of history, they are the basis of ancient civilizations' most essential and original technological achievements. However, the quality and quantity of water depend on a well-covered landscape of healthy native vegetation.

Nature's Mighty Rain Receiving Sponge

Amidst the inviting beauty of the natural landscape lies a hidden complex synergy between the mountain massifs' aquifers and the endemic primaeval forest. This evolutionary heritage showcases the indigenous forest's optimized evolution as water guardians, a testament to its overwhelming strength. The indigenous forest plays a crucial role in saturating the aquifers, with its potent water accumulation effect within the actual depth of the mountain massif's total configuration. Therefore, the body of naturally contained water retained in the mountains' native upland vegetation, primaeval forest, and aquifers can benefit from its similarities to established advanced science within hydrology. Thus, understanding the phenomenon of preserving Nature's highland water may benefit from scientific analysis using modern high-technology literature, where considerable pedagogical assistance comes with the help of advanced dam and reservoir structures.

The Importance of Domestic Trees

Reinforcement of Native Roots Against Erosion

The composite image series above invites a more
comprehensive study with explanatory images
of the water's flow and ground infiltration.
The Torrential Rains and Erosion

Erosion: The soil-holding capacity of Eucalyptus is relatively moderate compared to the original Ethiopian ground cover and trees, which initially covered the slopes of Entoto. Because there is no ground cover in the foreign-implanted Eucalyptus forest, the only thing to hold the soil is the sporadic web of roots of the trees. This lack of soil stabilizing undergrowth causes severe erosion, which is easily observed in the water running through Addis in connection with the rainy seasons. For every rain period, torrential forces eradicate valuable nutrients while the layer of fertile soil gets thinner. Without due care and preservation within a few years, no fertile ground will remain for new vegetation, and the erosion will be irreversible.

Flooding: On Entoto, every leaf and branch that has fallen to the ground is collected by people, whereas in a natural forest with endemic vegetation, organic material from leaves, wood, roots, etc., is left to be decomposed in the soil. The organic composting matter from endemic vegetation improves the soil structure, leading to a higher infiltration rate and a much better water storage capacity and, of course, provides the fragile saplings with a primary ground for growth. The picture on the right simplifies the connection between land and water, which can be seen by the vertical connection in the study of the infiltrating movements of the water in pictures (5 ) and (7).

Ethiopia's Historical Work for Water

Nature's Armoured and Guardian Shield

The toxicity within the tactical defence mechanisms of the Australian foreign trees causes dramatic waste of precious water in Ethiopia due to destructive downpours, resulting in seasonal, violent, rapid flash floods from the slopes, which create destructive forces that erode with soil milling properties. This dangerous environmental erosive phenomenon is visually evident in the artificial eucalyptus plantings with its ground of brittle clay crust. Hence, regrettably, an apparent phenomenon, with the loss of Nature's armoured shield of native undergrowth, is evident on the Highlands' mountainous slopes. Thus, Ethiopia's groundwater loss derives from the decreased size of the water-harbouring bodies within the Highlands' totality of organic structure, sediment, and the mountains' underground aquifers. Therefore, the toxin from the foreign Australian eucalyptus tree eradicates the native remaining protective ground cover, thereby significantly causing the loss of valuable water through torrential freshwater rejection in short-lived, sudden, and bursting flash floods of soil-milling erosion.

Ethiopia's Grande Nature History 

With the guardian and a profoundly anchored network of roots and stems, a complex picture of evolution's optimization of Ethiopia's original vegetation emerges. The endemic vegetation in Ethiopia's highlands in the past consisted of a primaeval forest with an intricate network of stems and a deeply anchored network of roots, functioning as numerous efficient water collectors. Therefore, in ancient times, Ethiopia's considerable rainwater resources were not so contradictory, and the reason was mainly the abundant natural and original vegetation of Ethiopia's highlands. 

Ethiopia's Historic Waterways

The Waterfall: Blue Nile, towards the Capital
The Highlands and their Historical Waters

Entoto Natural Park and its Historical Water
The topographical configuration of Entoto Natural Park's mountain crest has a curious result: two raindrops that simultaneously moisten the soil of Entoto's mountain crest, only a centimetre apart, will have quite different destinies. After a long journey through the River Nile, one waterway will reach the Mediterranean Sea. In contrast, the other watershed will pass through Addis Ababa, eventually evaporating in the Danakil Desert, as the Awash River does not reach the sea.

The Ethiopian Highland is the Legendary Water Provider

However, this primary Ethiopian source of the Nile River is only one of several Ethiopian rivers that contribute to the total water in the Nile. Consequently, the total amount of water delivered from the Ethiopian Highlands to the Nile is enriched by further waterways than only the water from the Blue Nile, the main water contributor and fundamental historical source of the legendary Nile River.

Humankind's High-Tech Together

With the Creation Of Nature's Foundation

What seems too complicated to describe in standard terms can sometimes be presented in a simple parable. In short, a few stones do not hinder a flowing torrent, but a firmly anchored, uniform stone construction frequently does with historical validity. Consequently, the few randomly placed rocks are lost in futile hardships, crushing the labourer by sweat and thirst in toil's despair and poverty. In contrast, the opposite is usually the case with the anchored unit, which has amounts of valuable water dammed at hand to use when drought occurs. Of course, the natural forest consists of many complex biological phenomena, with numerous plants and organisms in a symbiotic relationship, having a highly ancient evolutionary origin, serving as water protectors for the environment.

Historical Water Conservation

Analysis of Nature with High Technology

Therefore, the water-retaining properties of the soils and cliffs in the mountain massifs of the Highlands are in synergy with the endemic vegetation and trees. Indeed, they are very similar in function to advanced science in technology and, therefore, scientifically analysed with considerable help from the methods used for highly complex dam constructions. Hence, the body of naturally harboured water retained in the mountains' native highland vegetation's primordial forests and aquifers constitutes a natural phenomenon that is preferably considered and scientifically analysed with the help of methods used for today's highly advanced dams and reservoirs. In short, a few stones do not hinder a flowing torrent but very well by a firmly anchored uniform stone construction. Consequently, in sweat and thirst, the few rocks are lost in toil and poverty, while the opposite is usually the case with the anchored unit and its ample supplies of valuable dammed water at hand to use when drought occurs.

 Technological Sophistication and Adorable Picnics

An Invitation to the Family's Excursion

It's a well-known fact that the natural Highland aquifers
  are not sufficient to supply the large metropolitan areas 
  total needs, but complex constructions are required.
 However, the endemic vegetation and soil remain 
 vital in the Earth's ecological process before
 storing the water for the country's future.
Water To the Capital

Historic-Tech to the Native Highland

Picnic and Play for the Young Family

An excellent and cosy invitation to gain an initial practical view of these water-harbouring technologies, accompanied by a comfortable walk along a lovely promenade to the right after crossing the bridge, as shown within the map square [A] at Entoto Kidane Mehret (1). This place also offers an ideal little excursion for the young family on picnics or seeking sports games. An open grass pitch here provides a breathtaking place just beneath the start of the mountain and an embracing enclosure of a sculptural curved river. However, the picture above does not show the Italian (19) construction at the site, but rather a historical reservoir that was previously lost and forgotten in a bygone era. Although the water-harbouring technology at Entoto Kidane Mehret (1) is concealed chiefly underground, it remains alluring for exploration. Nevertheless, this underground construction at Entoto Kidane Mehret is certainly also intriguing for today's civilisation.

Ethiopia's Inherited Indigenous Vegetation
Prevents the Torrential Forces of the Water

Due to the contact between the precipitation and the tree crowns, the water path slows down enormously, damping and blocking the battering impact's eroding capacity from the relentless rainfall. Therefore, the endemic trees highlight the importance of their extensive greenery in preventing the initiation of flash floods and their subsequent erosive turmoil. Thus, the native vegetation creates multiple vertical and lateral barriers that prevent hazardous torrents from building up high velocities with their devastating forces. These barriers, propagating walls of native vegetation, are thus clearly both above ground in the physical constitution of plants and underground in their roots, with their interacting organisms.  

The Water-Catching Capacity of the Native Plants

The totality of the rain-catching surface of the trees' canopy is thus much more extensive than the ground without trees. Thanks to the tree roof slowing down in speed and force of the water that finally gently drips down from the tree roof, this phenomenon substantially extends the required time in which the undergrowth carefully receives the water. This vegetation's water-capturing phenomenon highlights its importance in blocking properties, which hinder the destructive torrential force of the water. Furthermore, this phenomenon reinforces its importance when the green roof of native trees receives rainfall, drastically reducing the sudden torrential forces on the tender saplings and underlying vegetation, thereby saving and creating one more barrier against torrential deluges. 

Climate: Precautions During Rainy Seasons

The Torrential Precipitation

Although the Park is still adorned with gorgeous and varied terrain of highland freshness and the enchantingly enticing deep mysteries of twilight Canyon's adventure, this landscape is, of course, accompanied by some concerns during the rainy seasons, including erosion and flash floods. These annual recurring floods often cause severe erosion, which is exacerbated by the toxic effects of the eucalyptus tree, as evidenced by the water running through Addis Ababa during the rainy seasons.

Water Loss and Erosion

These torrential floods create life-threatening situations since the rock massif is regularly deprived of its native vegetation and, therefore, unable to slow down the acceleration of water masses over the slopes. Furthermore, these torrential rainwater quantities pose difficulties with a significant impact during rainy periods, as the profoundly erosive forces along the waterways entail an imminent risk of undermining the Capital's settlements.

A Grandiose Landscape Built by the Trees' 

Requirements for Nourishment and Water

Furthermore, last year's ground-decomposing dry plant parts, combined with the native undergrowth, formed numerous soil-protecting, repeating, and moisture-preserving puddles that captured water and led it into the soil with remarkable efficiency. This evolutionary optimization of the previous season's composting downfall and the armour network effect from the undergrowth constitutes the final obstacle to the water's ability to gain speed and destructive force. This phenomenon results in the trees' roots accessing their precious water and requiring time to replenish the surplus into the aquifers of the underground sources within the mountain massifs. The consequence of this diversity in vertical water-capturing greenery and its composting downfall is that it constitutes a much more effective groundwater provider than a flat or slightly sloping slippery crust of brittle and fragile soil.

The Healing Capacity of the Native Forest

The Park's Undergrowth with Native Trees

The natural health and fertile beauty of this Indigenous Juniper forest (16) and (40), as well as the Indigenous Podocarpus trees (B), illuminate with precision the healing ability of a native forest (see location on the map below). The natural health of this landscape, with its native trees, provides insight and a natural stimulus to prevent and heal the severe erosion and habitat loss that occurred with the introduction of the Eucalyptus tree. The importance of careful research regarding knowledge in natural science is illustrated as an insightful and evident example before any foreign species is considered for introduction into an unfamiliar and vulnerable habitat. It can be stimulating to combine a wonderful mountain hike with a field study of the unique green hue and lushness in the undergrowth, and its subsequent effect on the ground stability beneath the native trees.

The Maps' Assistance to Ancient Trees

Magnificent Furrowed Trees

The Mother Tree (Podocarpus)

Podocarpus Trees, Paths - The Map Loop (B)

When using map circle (B) as an intended pointer, restrict it to 60% of its total length at four o'clock, and it becomes possible to find a magnificent native Podocarpus tree to the left of the hiking trail (link below). The intended direction indicator in the maps allows a method to be used here with a limited length in the intended dial. This method helps distinguish objects farther away, as well as those located more centrally, on the map loop (B)'s intended clockwork. This undulating hillside features a magnificent meadow (39) - (B) with an irresistibly picturesque farmhouse situated next to the path (see the map below).

Direction Assistance in the Map Loop (B) 

The intended pointer clockwork gives direction, and when its outermost tip reaches its full extent at 4:30, it points to a concealed and dense forest area just south of the field (39)-(B). To see several other indigenous Podocarpus trees, look just below this field (39) and to the right side in the lower part of this circle (B). The easiest way to reach these trees is to use the crossroads, just outside the lower part of the circle (B), where they appear to hide deeply in a forgotten past. This rather wild and wavy slope, with several native Podocarpus falcatus trees, appears to be in a habitat reminiscent of a bygone era.

The Wild and Fertile Forest from the Ancient Era

The original and compact Juniper trees (16) shown in the picture just below and the forest (40) on the eastern hillside, just to the right of (16), are captivatingly wild and consist of more than 50-year-old indigenous Juniperus procera trees. These native trees provide a unique connection to this dramatic yet gentle Nature, with its inviting and refreshing touch of high mountainous altitude. Yet this landscape and its native forests, surprise with nearly magical furrowed proportions of primaeval lushness, reveal a natural and incredible Highland scenery beyond what a visitor would usually expect in proximity to the Capital. This native Juniper woodland (40) is massive in appearance and stunning in vitality, with a perfect, lush and dense undergrowth.

The Importance Of Ethiopia's Indigenous Trees

Very remote vaguely appears, the Capital and civilization's
settlements here from the elevated location on the outer
 rim of the high plateau (16). The Dreams of Pure Nature
are offered by almost every view, also in the mighty
abyss and Canyon's uphill adventure
The Indigenous Trees

The Guardian's protection of the Indigenous trees

These native trees' diverse and widespread network of soil-reinforcing roots thus provides a stabilizing and, for aeons, welcoming ground for a dense, reinforcing network of native vegetation. Hence, Ethiopia's ancient and evolutionarily optimised Nature confirmed its ability to absorb water into the ground, thus harmonically harbouring and distributing the torrential deluges' otherwise destructive forces.

The Heritage Of Ethiopia's Endemic Trees

The historical disregard for the mentioned importance of native vegetation caused immense and dangerous environmental phenomena against Ethiopian Nature in the past. The devastating result of severe erosion is a water shortage and famine, highlighting the importance of a stable ground foundation for lush and soil-shielding undergrowth.

Viewpoint (16) is just at the outer rim of the high plateau and
 an excellent place for family picnics. Bees' Cliff 14 requires
 caution in the Canyon but  assists by the wide map loop
surrounding the fascinating points 36 and 41-42
Direction Maps & Routes

The Lost Noble Era: Exploring its Essence

Still magnificently beautiful, but the panoramic picture above towards the dim-capped Capital hides something unique from an almost forgotten era of beauty and splendour. Hence, turning some steps upwards from point (16) while just passing over the outer threshold of the high plateau reveals both a mighty and cosy treasure of lost aeons. Thus, after just the cosiest promenade to the rim of the high plateau while going uphill, the veiled scene is behind the camera's view from point (16). Hiding high above the dim-capped Capital, a group of endemic and Juniperus procera trees appears from the mountain's history, offering a captivating picnic site with great views.

The Juniper Trees of the High Plateau

Such inviting beauty appears here that any visitor is profoundly drawn to stay for many activities, whether enjoying a well-equipped family picnic or simply admiring the furrowed highland relics from a time beyond memory. These indigenous Juniper trees appear mighty with their furrowed pillars, configured uniquely and with an appearance reminiscent of having an origin from a past culture of noble ancestry, within a magnificent and enchanting landscape of primaeval lushness. The site of impressive Juniperus procera trees is nearby, just a short distance uphill from point (16).

Natural and Clean Water with Native Nature

The native trees' diverse and widespread network of soil-reinforcing roots thus provides a stabilizing and, for the future, welcoming ground for an advancing culture where native vegetation enlightens the importance of original Nature for human health. The consequence of ignoring natural sciences within Nature is grave because this groundwater phenomenon is of fundamental importance for any population to create their future health or prosperity. The accumulating effect of vegetation and soil layers is crucial for filling the mountains' aquifers and acting as a water-purifying filter, as well as the sole source and distributor of purified water to natural underground reservoirs. Regrettably, humankind's misdeeds against Nature have caused harmful interference against this purifying and protective synergy effect from vegetation and soil layers throughout history. Hence, the combined mismanagement resulting from the misdeeds of early cultures and the modern-day inclination towards corrupt behaviour frequently caused environmental ruin, with a fragile and feeble base and acute poverty, from early civilisations to modern times.

Water to the Capital

Aquifers and Technology

The Ancient Roman cistern

"Piscina Mirabilis"

The Valuable Knowledge Of Antiquity

Caution: Despite modern technologies' convenient applicability, the majestic rock reservoir

The image to the left, of antiquity (the Ancient Roman cistern Piscina Mirabilis), highlights the apparent brilliance of stability and safety that defies and challenges the doubts about modern technologies' potential for shortcuts; all these concerns stem from the dam catastrophes of the last century. However, constructing artificial dams to meet the water needs of a larger population has, in modern times, proven to be a hazardous solution in connection with nearby settlements. In ancient times, a technology was developed to prevent the fatal collapse of man-made dams by creating hidden, massive underground chambers. 

Underground Reservoirs

Historical and early developed technical and geological-based methods for managing and saving enormous amounts of water are often technically complex and aesthetically exquisite. The historical constructions to securely harbour water appear in the picture to the left. The methods of this water technology vary significantly between different cultures and continents. Still, in history's legacy, they are the basis of ancient civilizations' most decisive and original technological achievements and their ability to progress in today's high-tech development.

Nature's Production Of Clean Water

The vertical connection in the study below, with images (8) and (9), illustrates how mechanically disturbed soil, such as that affected by ploughing for cultivation, struggles to absorb and infiltrate precipitation. As a result, a significant amount of water slides away on the soil and becomes lost to runoff (RO), as shown in picture (9) at its right side (B), which is evident by the murky collected flows down into the collection vessels with its arrow sign (RW). The primary reason for this modern issue of reduced water infiltration is that the soil lacks the evolutionary traits necessary for this artificial tillage and does not have the appropriate particle configuration to effectively absorb or deeply infiltrate water. Although this image study does not include laboratory evaluations of water absorption in the original vegetation of a native forest with undergrowth, it indicates that the natural environment depicted on the far left of the image (8) shows enhanced water infiltration values downwards the plants' roots and further towards the groundwater at the bottom of the image (8) - FW1. This observation is further supported by the linked videos below.

The Problem With Foreign and Incompatible Trees
and their Devastating Effect on the Water.
The Torrential Rains and Erosion

The Importance of Undisturbed Soil

 The No-till ground on the left side in images (8) -  (9) points (A) shows the surroundings of the seasonal field at rest. Compared to the tillage field, the No-till ground provides significantly better resistance against decay and increases water distribution to the groundwater reservoirs. Pictures (9) show this resistance to the decay phenomenon (A) by increased resistance to soil loss and its ability to store water. This filtered water can transform into purified water within the hidden cliff chambers (aquifers). This filtered water in the study (8) - FW1 accumulates during the rainy season, seeping in by a continuous infiltration into the deeper underground. Therefore, cities below the mountain massif depend significantly on the Highlands' native vegetation, including agriculture, due to the high altitudes' properties of geologically storing mountain water, which can be conveniently extracted by traditional or advanced methods during drought seasons the following year.

Videos: Soil Erosion Demo  

The Ground's Importance for the Water

Here, picture (9) clearly shows how the tillage field example (B) to the right in the photo means about twice the amount lost in the runoff in comparison with the No-till soil on the left (A). Also, the left No-till soil (A) with its water tray displays considerably less erosive sediment in the water tray in comparison to the tillage field on the right in images (9) - (10) - (B). The vertical connection of the (FW) arrows 1 and 2 in embodiment (8) appears very clearly as an effect in the study of example (9). Models (8) and (9) confirm an apparent relationship following the waterways of FW1 and FW2, shown in the lower part of picture (8).  A practical solution to its problems with water loss and erosion on sloping land is well established; here is a link to an exciting introduction.

Wikipedia: Regenerative Agriculture

The Advanced Natural Sciences Of Environmental Restoration

Careful analysis is particularly challenging in the case of trees and plants, as determining the grounds' influence on the transfer of water into the water supply mustn't immediately provide an explanation model for modern solutions and circumstances in similar industries. Instead, this phenomenon in Nature is highly complex in biology, spanning evolutionary time and diverse environments, which requires an investigation that closely follows the creation of the soil and its role in establishing a reliable foundation for vegetation. In the background of these lengthy and often prehistoric time cycles of the water's origin appears the highly complex creation technology and protection of today's stable drinking water supply, where these modern methods frequently prove impossible to artificially recreate the purity and rich mineral content of Nature's tremendous complex water purification.

[ The Eucalyptus Tree ]

The Implantation of a Foreign Life Form

The Eucalyptus Problem

The Eucalyptus Tree and Its Tactical Toxicity

A chemical component with an intricate competition-oriented toxic defence system in the leaves and roots of Eucalyptus trees prevents the growth of other trees and herbs. This chemical component leads to a monoculture dominated by Eucalyptus, with no different tree species and no ground cover. This chemical component causes severe erosion, a phenomenon which is easily observed in the water running through the vertically interpreted picture series (8) - (9) analysis just above, in connection with the rainy seasons.

 
The Environmental Danger Of the Eucalyptus Tree 

  Due to these shortcomings in the water-preserving capacity of the Eucalyptus plantation, it cannot counterbalance the uneven distribution of rain. The result is often torrential flooding in the down-slope areas, in this case, the northern district of Addis Ababa. In August 1994, it created a fatal danger because of overwhelming and sudden flooding.

CAUTION: The Slopes' Restoration

Sudden influxes of water in the mountains can lead to instability and damage to the vacuum-anchoring suction effect, which is a result of the gravity pressure built up over time in the layers of the hillside. Furthermore, a previous reduction of trees removes the reinforcement from roots, causing the slopes to become even more saturated and fragile due to the loss of strength from the tree roots and increased lubrication from the water masses. Furthermore, except for their capacity to prevent the dangerous lubrication effect in the slopes' clay layers with their risk for landslides, the native vegetation and trees' roots also prevent the water forces from speeding up and forming devastating torrential powers where water masses tear up the ground of buildings and simply drill deeply into the riverbanks of the settlements.

The vacuum-anchoring suction effect results from gravity pressure
built up over time in the layers of the hillside, where the evolution 
is a candidate for suspecting large trees as essential for gravity
 anchoring suction on the mountainside. However, reducing trees
removes the stability of roots while adding water from swales,
causing the slopes to become saturated and fragile. Due to the
loss of strength from ancient trees and their roots, difficulties
arise when restoring the slopes with swales due to their
dangerous impact of lubricating the slopes by deluges.
Pinterest: Planting Saplings
Keyline Design Permaculture
Terraced Micro-Basins
Planting Technology
Check Dam Swales

Landscape Restoration

There are profound contradictions in judgment in the use of berms versus swales. Hence, the core of this evaluation is a comparison between small surrounding ridges (berms) downhill of the saplings, which prevent water loss down the slope, versus the quite contrary appearance of uphill water-absorbing trenches (swales) just above the saplings, following the traditional contour lines of the landscape's slopes. Since channels or swales filled with water constitute a dangerous lubrication with a low friction effect on the slopes, an imminent risk for landslides prevails. Thereby, swales are an option on the planes, while separate berms are an option for slopes. Of course, the more irrigation-effective method for saplings combines berms with keylines and even with swales, but then, due to the risk of landslides, it is only applicable when the landscape gradient is very gentle.

Planting Saplings on Slopes

The previously mentioned half-circular small backfillings (berms) appear suitable on a hillside to protect the growth of individually placed saplings. In addition, where Keyline technology is available, it often appears to be a more desirable option than swales, as it is less obstructive despite sharing some similar principles with swale methods. Where careful irrigation is crucial, keyline design permaculture emerges as a desirable option because it resembles the practices of swales, being more gentle on the landscape and, therefore, it serves as an attractive choice on hillsides where swales would otherwise pose an overwhelming risk for landslides or lahars. Thus, while berms fit individual saplings, adding keyline design permaculture along contour lines often seems like an option since they heal themselves within the landscape while providing a slightly invisible gradient deviation from the landscape's contour lines. At the same time, even swales are an option on a pleasant, sloping plane.

Soil Suction: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/soil-suction

Videos: Planting Saplings. Videos: Planting Technology

Berms and Swales VS 

Terraces & Micro-Basins

With a minimal gradient in the landscape, swales are an option, but are not recommended on a mountainside. Therefore, caution prevails regarding this environmental swales restoration method due to the risk of landslides caused by swales creating too much water, which, unfortunately, sometimes lubricates a dangerous landslide (see the lower section of the image just above). Hence, a danger persists since these swales initiate landslides by the sudden water infiltration in an unstable soil configuration, especially on a mountainside. When the slopes are too steep for any modest restoration of the ground's stability, the classical option with terracing is often a secure choice. Here, with attention to keyline design permaculture deviation from the contour line, classical terracing obtains historical reliability. However, when excluding terracing and instead observing in a more gentle leaning terrain, the keyline design permaculture remains a careful restoration option, where the ploughed grooves deviate slightly downwards from the mountain's contour lines. Thus, keyline design permaculture often remains the most appropriate way to create a stable water supply and a foundation for the saplings, with the exception of steep slopes. Therefore, mountainsides exposed to drought frequently benefit from and require a keyline design gradient to optimise the water flow over the terraces. These methods and even terraced micro-basins often remain the only suitable option to obtain a sound foundation for the saplings on a steeper hillside.

Terraced Micro-Basins

A possibility of merged methods appears here, where small supporting ridges in downhill surroundings (berms) help individual saplings, while integrated secluded minor swales contribute to an abundant water supply into the ground. While there seem to be profound contradictions between berms and swales, these two offer combinations, such as terraced micro basins, where this solution merges the advantages of both berms and swales. Therefore, a picture appears where the terraced micro basins contribute to a more careful solution than swales. Hence, these micro basins provide each sapling individual protection and water to the plants, while also receiving a root-feeding water supply from the above-terrace micro basins in a less hazardous solution to the water contribution than traditional swales. Therefore, the water masses within swales on a steeper slope could pose a direct danger of water breaking through, followed by violent erosion. In contrast, terraced berms with minor basins pose a lesser risk, where these terraced micro-basins may constitute a careful yet very effective balancing of the two mentioned berms and swales.

A Noble Heritage of Health and Beauty

 An Ancient Time of Natural Wealth

Podocarpus falcatus (P. gracilior)
Location and Maps for these
Ancient and Furrowed Trees

A Beautiful Memory that Attracts

 Modern Science and Art

With glowing passion and warmth, it is still spoken among the residents of Entoto about when the water level, a reasonable time after the rainy season, still stood one metre higher in Entoto's deep streams and enchanting nature rock baths. It is thus quite close to the time when Entoto's mountain massif and its canyons could carry significantly higher water quantity and, therefore, supply the population in the Capital with fresh water to a much greater extent.

Conclusion and Wonderful Solution

This small Podocarpus tree carries a unique heritage that can be very important for the Park's legacy. This tree's seed was picked from the mother tree in the circle (B), west of the path, left of the area (39) and clearly above (38). The stalk of this tree's seed is considerably taller than that of the Juniper tree seed, with this uniqueness in raising its brittle stems. An excellent and traditional solution arises, where Rosa abyssinica guards the seedlings thanks to the sharpness of its defensive thorns. 

Landslides and Erosion: 

Demands for International Research

The internationally commonly occurring and historically merciless vigorous depletion of native trees on the mountains' slopes naturally raises complex problems of restoring the lost strength of enormous roots and their multiplying positive effects in stabilizing the mountains' slopes. The loss of stability from the missing anchoring suction effect and the lack of reinforcing roots here appear to constitute almost insurmountable obstacles to restoring Nature on a mountainside. It often appears that progressive international research is necessary regarding how these lost, ancient and superior in strength soil layers from the distant past can be reconstructed in the most effective way. Using Nature's evolutionary advanced methods here may entail ancient methods that slowly build anchorage of sediments through the vegetations' vacuum suction properties and the assistance of the weight vacuum pressure exerted by large trees and their ancient water-absorbing roots. 

Nature Restoration Using Underground Modern Technology

Thus, from Nature's ancient past, the mechanical compression of moraine and clay towards the mountainside provided Nature with the required strength for an evolutionary and mechanical suction base, facilitating the continued prehistoric build-up of the ancient soil layer. Often appearing, all these evolutionary aspects of Nature and their prehistorical reinforcement of the ground seem, however, altogether too costly and complicated to recreate using technology, such as gabions together with cliff anchors. As an intervention that artificially rebuilds millions of years of built-up ground stability in synergy with the soil layers, and in conjunction with the evolution of organisms, it often seems still impossible to recreate today, since this approach appears altogether too costly and complicated. However, some modern technology methods can frequently replace these ancient stabilising sediments and the crucial strength of the ancient reinforcing tree roots. Gabion technology and rock anchors are current techniques that can enhance safety by providing new ground for plants to grow on a slope. By backfilling and imitating ancient sediments, supported by gabions and rock anchors, the growth of Nature's Basics may provide the necessary time to heal the damage caused by human hazardous effects, as well as their impact on landslides and previous erosion, dating back to prehistory.

Videos: Terraced Micro-Basins

Videos: Planting Technology

Videos: Water and Land Restoration

  Environmental Ideas from Pinterest :  

Gabion Technology  |  Retaining Walls  |  Erosion Prevention

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The Science of Indigenous Ancient Trees

DNA Selections of Seeds
(Oxford Academic)

Choosing the Right Mother Tree for Seed

The distant location, but within the same country, has developed fauna and flora that have undergone an extremely long evolutionary process to best adapt to the unique conditions of its geological and surrounding genetic characteristics. The unique habitat in a particular region within a country imparts its indigenous lifeforms with distinctive properties, including those of plants and wildlife, depending on the remoteness of the unique climate. 

The Importance of Seed's Evolutionary Heritage

Hence, due to its isolated location on a country's mountainside or within its secluded gorge, the endemic tree has created the specificity of its genetic heritage and the uniqueness of its soil. Therefore, the trees' evolutionary connection to a country's landscape creates a precious legacy for their seeds, which inherit well-adapted genetic characteristics that suit the location's unique biological environment. 

Assessing Seeds Based on the Climate Zones of the Country

Hence, the genetic legacy of Ethiopia's diverse climates and altitudes has created trees that, although belonging to the same species, have developed distinct genetic heritages to adapt to these different climate zones. Thus, the mistake of using seed from a tree with its genetic origin in a moist and shady gorge as seedlings on a dry southern slope undermines these trees' ability to survive, as well as that of other organisms, including humans.

The Science of Ancient Trees

The Sciences of Ancient Trees

The Scientific Importance of Old and Ancient Trees

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Historical High-Tech for Water

The Forgotten Sciences from Antiquity

The Grandiose Technology Of History

The gradient of the Pont du Gard is only 34 cm per km, descending only 17 m vertically in its entire length of 50 km (31 mi): it could transport up to 20,000 cubic metres a day. The gradients of temporary aqueducts used for hydraulic mining could be considerably more significant, as at Dolaucothi in Wales (with a maximum angle of about 1:700) and Las Medulas in northern Spain. Where sharp gradients were unavoidable in permanent conduits, the channel could be stepped downwards, widened or discharged into a receiving tank to disperse the water flow and reduce its abrasive force.[32] Using stepped cascades and drops also helped re-oxygenate and thus "freshen" the water.[33]" Roman Aqueduct - Wikipedia

The Roman Legacy of Today: Levadas

"In the sixteenth century, the Portuguese started building levadas to carry water to the agricultural regions. The most recent was made in the 1940s. Madeira is very mountainous, and building the levadas was often difficult. Many are cut into the sides of mountains, and it was also necessary to dig 25 kilometres (16 mi) of tunnels. Today, the levadas not only supply water to the southern parts of the island, but they also provide hydroelectric power. There are more than 2,170 kilometres (1,350 mi) of levadas, and they provide a great network of walking paths. Some provide easy and relaxing walks through the beautiful countryside", Wikipedia

A Wonderful Excursion to Search 

 The Lost Knowledge from Antiquity

Although this Italian ruin was built in today's decaying concrete, the renovation of this mountain fortress (38) - (B) can stimulate an excellent foundation for a historical discovery of the lost recipe for Roman concrete. Although this historical concrete's millennia-old secrets still hold relevance as a crucial investigation for international laboratories, its deepest secrets remain a mystery. The potential rediscovery of ancient concrete, a lost high technology and historical treasure from antiquity, would provide a unique opportunity for scientific study of Roman technology within an educational project. The Lost Secrets of Antiquity

Restoring Nature with Concealed Technology

Restoring a severely eroded landscape by reintroducing native vegetation can be a complex process. Because the soil layers built up over millions of years have lost their original strength, the tremendous stability provided by the tree roots and compact sediment has often disappeared. It is, therefore, a colossal project to remedy these prehistorically created soil layers tested by aeons of hardship during ages of severe rain storms, flash floods or drought and thus evolved an optimization for their environment along with the natural irregulations of the underlying mountain slope. Therefore, when considering a natural mountain slope in terms of health, the conclusion follows with a significant probability that the most resistant soil layers remain; however, the caveat is that they only exist due to the vegetations' roots, assisted by vacuum pressaure and organisms that created their own rock gripping anchor points underneath their soil layers. Thus, the trees' roots have, from prehistoric times, provided the mountain slopes with a solid, reinforcing biological construction whose strength and toughness can surpass much of everyday civilization.

Regarding a mountainside through severe trials over millions of years, the result is a moraine with soil layers and vegetation that are incredibly hard tested and often evolutionarily optimized to survive in the specific conditions of their environment of varying rainfall, drought, landslides or lahars. After these lengthy trials by the aeons of Nature's trial and error, what remains is a highly optimized habitat, and therefore, very difficult to surpass. These are such insurmountable circumstances that trying to succeed by replicating Nature's creation risks is overwhelming, resulting in frustrating failure when attempting to restore a steep hillside. If human civilization is to overcome these difficulties, a great effort of human resources and technological stabilization measures is often required.

Where, for example, erosion has ravaged deep into soil layers and moraine, restoring the natural habitat of a steep slope is directly inappropriate, as it attempts to instantly replicate Nature's unique habitat by using highly hazardous methods of corrupt undercurrents within today's business, since it would pose an imminent risk for villages located below such hazardous restoration attempts. Recreating what Nature has done over millions of years may require more civilizational technical measures, such as gabions anchored in the underlying rock or retaining walls and terracing, where wildlife and humans coexist close to civilisation's immediate needs. These anchored gabions can form an underground stabilizing foundation against landslides and further erosion while simultaneously providing the opportunity to rebuild the soil layers required for the native vegetation. Thus, these underground anchored gabions in the landscape represent a possible replacement in terms of reliability and strength, aiming to recreate the original landscape and Nature.

Topographic Contour Lines VS

Keyline Design Permaculture

A keyline can be applied using topographic maps, where the contour lines show an increasing distance between each other. This selected part of the keyline landscape depends on the contour lines and appears with a slight leaning within the mountainside. Thus, water-carrying keylines always come with the necessary support of the contour lines. The chosen place for the origin of keyline permaculture aligns with the direction towards the hillsides' valleys, where natural springs are usually found. Still, the ploughed grooves of these keylines deviate slightly, almost imperceptibly, away from the commonly known topographical contour lines. The deviation in the angle and curves of the keylines' ploughed grooves compared to the contour lines makes them appear diminutively different from the topographical contour lines, which are always shown horizontally on typographic maps. Thus, the keylines' ploughed grooves follow the slope with a slight downward deviation, thereby utilising gravity to allow water to irrigate the area just above the saplings with precision and efficiency. This water's gradually falling line within and off the keylines then constitutes the prerequisite for the harmonious and calm flow of the water.

In this context, it is essential to understand that the maps' contour lines constitute an artificially simplified explanation of the landscape's complex three-dimensional topography. Thus, it is necessary to know that the terrain slopes usually lean slightly downward, even between two sparse contour lines in the map's landscape. Therefore, despite the confusing appearance of topographical map lines, when these contour lines provide wider distances between each other, they also represent less-leaning ledges in the surrounding, more sloping terrain. Thus, the contour lines' two broadly separated sections appear as a less downward-inclined landscape, where this more gentle slope gradient permits the dampening of the water's force, thereby inviting the application of these keylines' capacity to harbour and distribute the water over a wide area. Hence, these keylines fulfil their function as harmonious water distributors in hilly terrain even though they are far from the water source.

In any case, since the source's flow towards and within the slowly feeding water in the ploughed grooves becomes subjected to mechanical resistance by irregularities and soil particles, it should consequently lead to the water flow finally draining and ceasing its flow towards these more distant extensions of keylines, especially in the outcropping formations of the ridges. Therefore, these remote ridges risk receiving too small leftover water due to the already infiltrated water loss into the slopes' soil and the aquifers of the mountainside. Hence, the explanation follows here why the keylines' following ploughed grooves appear to deviate more and more from the topographical contour lines, as the keyline-designed ploughed furrows require help from gravity to bring a water flow even to the slopes of distant ridges.

Thus, a visual inspection of these ploughed grooves from keyline design indicates that they rightly appear to seek further down and deviate more from these contour lines near their origin at the mountain valley's source, but also as they reach lower and lower towards the terminating shoulders of the ridges. The purpose of this slightly descending appearance of the keylines' ploughed furrows ensures that even the farthest from the mountain springs and reservoirs, yet distant and lower elevated peaks, receive water in the landscape far beyond. However, although these longer-term keylines provide benefits and water to the mountain massif, direct irrigation is limited to areas below the water source. Therefore, these keyline designs extract water from the mountain's remote valleys, utilising their naturally occurring rich springs and enhanced pond reservoirs.

Pinterest: Keyline Design Permaculture

Wikipedia: Keyline Design

Videos: Keyline Dam Construction

Videos: Water and Land Restoration

Permaculture Research Institute:

"Before Permaculture: Keyline Planning and Cultivation"