Water is the element of life and there is a finite amount of fresh, potable water on the planet. Using this resource wisely is essential to creating health and buffering against climatic changes that are predicted to bring more floods, droughts, and associated challenges to society as weather events become more severe.  The morning will be spent covering the basics of rainwater harvesting from roofs and other impervious surfaces and how to integrate these into your yard. The afternoon will explore how to design and install swales (ditches dug on contour) to help build healthy alive soil, recharge aquifers, and hold water in the soil where it is more readily available to plants. These same strategies that help lay the foundation for resilient and productive backyard systems also help mitigate negative impacts from floods and drought.