- Beyond Sustainability - The Case for Regenerative Design
- Understanding Place - Climate, Site, and Solar Geometry
- The Six Integrated Systems - An Overview
- Building with the Earth—Natural Materials
- Passive Solar Design - Heating and Cooling Without Machines
- Off-Grid Energy Systems - Power from the Sun
- Water - Catching, Storing, and Cycling
- Liquid Waste Treatment - Botanical Systems
- Food Systems—Buildings That Feed
- Community Design - Scaling Up
- The Integrated Design Process
- Appendix A: Glossary of Key Terms
- Appendix B: The Pangea Textbook Series
- Appendix C: Key Design Principles at a Glance
- The Regenerative Community Vision
- Site Assessment and Land Reading
- Land Use Law and Legal Frameworks
- Master Planning for Regenerative Communities
- Infrastructure Systems Integration
- Housing Typologies and Density Design
- Community Governance Structures
- Economic Models for Community Development
- Phased Development Strategy
- Community Resilience and Long-Term Stewardship
- Appendix A: Legal Entity Comparison Chart
- Appendix B: Community Design Checklist
- Appendix C: Glossary of Community Development Terms
Water is the most critical resource in most bioregions and the most fundamental organizing principle of community design. A site’s hydrological character determines how much water is available, where it concentrates, and how it must be managed.
Watershed position matters enormously. A site at the head of a watershed receives only local precipitation. A site at the base of a watershed may receive water from a much larger catchment area. Communities positioned to intercept multiple tributaries can harvest far more water than their local precipitation footprint would suggest.
Surface hydrology analysis involves mapping all existing drainage channels, identifying floodplain boundaries (FEMA maps are a starting point but should be field-verified), and tracing the paths of water across the site during heavy precipitation events. The 100-year flood boundary is important for determining where not to build. The 10-year storm analysis reveals where detention and infiltration earthworks are needed.
Groundwater assessment includes determining depth to water table (through soil borings or existing well logs), understanding aquifer type and recharge zones, and evaluating the risk of groundwater contamination from proposed land uses. In the American Southwest, groundwater rights are often legally separate from surface water rights — both must be understood before community water planning can proceed.