Most of the shops and dwellings had front porches with long, overhanging eaves, and rain barrels set at the corners to catch runoff from the tiled roofs.

Nearby city reservoirs do not appear to have fish with elevated mercury levels, Mr. Sturcken said, possibly because they catch runoff from lower terrain that is less apt to capture wind-driven pollution.

The river currents rapidly catch runoff from much of the Canadian prairies which then flow through a narrow channel eventually spilling into the north side of Lake Winnipeg.

For example, one station features a bench positioned to look out over a meadow to the ocean, and another includes a stone bowl that catches runoff from the surrounding hills.

Crops were planted in arroyos or other depressions which caught runoff from thunderstorms and preserved enough moisture to permit crops to grow and mature.

But she said the city was cleaning the big sewer that catches runoff along Third Avenue, inspecting street-side storm drains and instructing residents and businesses on keeping drains clear.

Limans are structures with small dams which catch runoff from a wadi to hold about 400-600mm of water, which suffices for the growth of drought-hardy tree species.

Most of the dairy farms in the area depend on ponds to catch runoff from melting snows, but last winter saw hardly any snow, he said.

Many homes also have their own systems to catch rainfall and runoff during the rainy season.

They are also popular for their ability to catch storm-water runoff and, when in the broader picture of a community, reduce the heat island effect (see urban heat island) thereby reducing energy costs of the entire area.