What is a rain garden?Rain gardens, also called bioretention areas, are vegetated depressions that soak up and filter runoff from parking lots, roads, and rooftops. Building a rain garden involves excavating a shallow basin, adding bioretention soil (a particular mix of sand, topsoil and organic matter) and planting a diversity of native plants that can withstand wet and dry conditions. A mulch layer on top prevents erosion and holds in soil moisture.
Rain gardens can be attractive landscape elements and have multiple benefits for people and the environment. |
Benefits |
Reduce flooding and replenish groundwater: Instead of flowing rapidly through the stormwater system to a nearby creek, runoff flows into the rain garden and infiltrates into the ground.
Clean up runoff: Soil and native plants in rain gardens act as a filter, removing pollutants like motor oil/grease, heat, and road salt through physical and biological processes so that cleaner, cooler water ends up in our waterways. Provide habitat: Rain gardens support butterflies, birds and other urban wildlife. |
Links |
Check out these rain garden resources:
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