An umbrella-type mechanism would make an effective rainwater gathering device

 by Edward Ulrich, March 17, 2024




Imagine that the plywood on the model is a field under the umbrella, the poles are made from individual trees similar to how telephone poles are made, and with the Captain America action figure giving the device a sense of scale.




The umbrella mechanism could retract into the pipe which could be ceramic or made from plastic.




The bottom part of the pipe would be underground. This concept would require very little digging.


I recently thought of another system for gathering rainwater over fields, which employs an umbrella-type mechanism that retracts into a large pipe.  The material of the umbrella could be made from hemp canvas, the pipe could be made from ceramic or plastic, and the poles could be made from individual trees similar to how telephone poles are made.

Perhaps the umbrella mechanism could even be made from smaller individual trees in order to not need to rely too much on materials such as metal.

Of course the model is very crude, but I think it illustrates the general concept well.

What makes this design preferable is the fact that it requires very little digging.  It may not be as sturdy as other designs, but I think it could be properly reinforced to work in the conditions it would be employed in.

See other potential rainwater gathering designs at this link.