Rain Gardens - A how-to manual for homeowners

Short Description
and standing water in the rain garden will last for a few. hours after most storms. … sunny rain garden. Also rain gardens attract dragonflies, …

Website: learningstore.uwex.edu | Filesize: 3056kb

Content
A how-to manual
for homeownersHomeowners in many parts of the country are catching on to rain gardens - landscaped
areas planted to wild flowers and other native vegetation that soak up rain water,
mainly from the roof of a house or other building. The rain garden fills with a few inches
of water after a storm and the water slowly filters into the ground rather than running off
to a storm drain. Compared to a conventional patch of lawn, a rain garden allows about
30% more water to soak into the ground.
Why are rain gardens important? As cities and suburbs grow and replace forests and
agricultural land, increased stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces becomes a
problem. Stormwater runoff from developed areas increases flooding; carries pollutants
from streets, parking lots and even lawns into local streams and lakes; and leads to costly
municipal improvements in stormwater treatment structures.
By reducing stormwater runoff, rain gardens can be a valuable part of changing these
trends. While an individual rain garden may seem like a small thing, collectively they
produce substantial neighborhood and community environmental benefits. Rain gardens
work for us in several ways:
g Increasing the amount of water that filters into the ground, which…