Rain Coast Earthworks
Drought Mitigation • Site Excavation • Drainage Solutions
Rain Coast Earthworks specializes in regional drought mitigation, site excavation and drainage solutions on Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands of coastal British Columbia. We serve the Cowichan Valley, Salt Spring Island & beyond.
Our services include, and are not limited to, the following:
Ponds & Swales • Rain Water Harvesting Earthworks • Cistern Delivery & Installation • Xeriscaping • Rain Water Catchment • Permaculture Consultation & Permaculture Site Design
Perimeter Drain Installation • French Drain Installation • Drainage System Construction & Repair • Grading & Re-sloping • Trenching • Site Preparation
Our Services
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Xeriscaping
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Rain Water Harvesting Earth Works
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Perimeter Drain & French Drain
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Water Catchment
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Consultation
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Design
Why drought mitigation?
Climate change is here to stay and so are the challenges it places on our region.
Summer droughts are causing a decrease in our groundwater supply. Wells are going dry, crops are getting thirsty, ponds are getting low, and seasonal streams are becoming semi-seasonal streams. What this means is that there is less water available in the landscape - for habitat creation and for human consumption. This is a problem.
So… what can be done about it?
The solution exists in our damp, rainy winters.
Our region is blessed with an abundance of rain throughout the Winter and periodically through the year. By shaping the land to capture and direct water, we can recharge groundwater. This solution prolongs the health of our wells, crops, ponds and streams. We can design land to have a positive impact on the amount of water available in the landscape.
This is the work of Rain Coast Earthworks.
Testimonials
About Us
Stephen Robert Disher, Owner/Operator
Stephen holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Trent University (2009) and a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Permaculture Institute of Australia (2015).
His experience on the job site began in 2007 working for a landscaping business installing patios, retaining walls, French drains, ponds and gardens. Since then, Stephen has crafted his expertise of landscaping, stone masonry and excavation over the last 16 years.
Off the job site, Stephen has spent years studying and installing ‘whole systems design applications’ on rural acreages. In his 20s, Stephen lived at various sustainable living centres across Canada and the USA where he studied hydrology, environmental earthworks and permaculture. He has since gone on to attend workshops on these topics to deepen his understanding of how to design for a resilient future amid climate change.
Rain Coast Earthworks brings together these conventional understandings of landscaping and excavation and fuses them with the holistic views of whole systems design and environmental earthworks. Stephen believes that fusing these two ways of understanding the world is key to learning how to manage for an uncertain future.
How We Flow:
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Step 1: Contact Us
Call or e-mail us to discuss your project. We will visit your property to discuss your ideas in greater detail. From there, we will create a Quote for you.
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Step 2: Planning & Design
Once the project is confirmed, we begin planning the installation. We strive to maintain clear, concise & timely communication with our clients to keep them up to speed with planning.
While the scale of much of our work does not require design work, some clients contact us strictly for Design work. Alternatively, some projects larger in size may require an in-depth design which we can create.
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Step 3: Installation
Once the project planning and design (where applicable) is complete, we move into the Installation phase. Installation can vary from taking 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on the scope of the project. It usually requires the use of an excavator and 2 - 3 workers on the job site. It often involves excavating land by moving organic matter and aggregate to build design features into the landscape.
Clients are given progress updates and are sent pictures to ensure the project is unfolding as planned.