I just read that a mature oak tree can transpire over 40,000 gallons of water a year, which is a fact I found in a forestry extension article from the University of Georgia.

That's a massive amount of water moving through a single tree, and it really makes you think about their role in the local water cycle and soil moisture, so has anyone else had to factor this into a site's drainage plan or plant selection?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_evan1mo ago

Heard about a guy who planted a row of mature oaks near his foundation for shade. His basement started smelling like a swamp within two years. They had to install a crazy expensive french drain system because the tree roots were basically slurping up all the groundwater and then dumping it right back out near the house.

knight.dylan1mo ago

Used to believe trees just drank water away from foundations. Stories like this show how they can actually move moisture around in unexpected ways. Makes you rethink where to plant anything with serious roots.

the_simon1mo ago

But could it have been a grading issue instead? Oaks are pretty deep rooted compared to other trees.

emma_flores22d ago

Oh wow, that's actually a common mix-up. The real issue is usually the soil getting too dry and shrinking, @knight.dylan, not the tree dumping water back.