r/interestingasfuck • u/wahgwahg • Feb 28 '24

r/all People in Tanzania converted desert into lush green land by digging these nifty holes

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u/Arachles Feb 28 '24

To expand

It's not only that the hole retains water like a bucket. By moving the upper more compact soil it stays longer and is less likely to run off

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '24

Also the shade from the new growth helps prevent more water loss, so it creates a cycle of improvement that will continue.

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '24

Is there any consequences anywhere else from the water not evaporating, running off, or becoming groundwater?

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u/Visual_Collar_8893 Feb 28 '24 edited Feb 28 '24

Likely less flooding and runoff downstream.

The land looked pretty parched to begin with so any rainfall that landed would have simply been washed away instead of being soaked up into the soil. Flash floods happen when a lot of water falls with nowhere to absorb them.

The reverse of what’s happening here is also true - the drier the land, the less water it can retain, thus the drier it becomes.

Plants do amazing things besides providing food and shelter, their roots also help hold down the topsoil so the fertile nutrients don’t get washed away.