Stormwater
To understand rain gardens, we need to begin with stormwater, which is water that does not soak into the ground after a rainfall or a snowmelt. This water runs into storm drains, flows over the land’s surface, and causes puddles to occur. In a natural landscape like a forest or grassland, rainwater soaks into the ground and only after the soil is saturated will runoff as stormwater. In cities, most of the land has been paved over, shingled over by buildings, or compacted so that water can no longer soak into the ground. With nowhere to go, stormwater begins to cause big problems which
impacts individuals, municipalities, and the environment. Experiencing water in your basement may be a result of stormwater. Municipalities, such as Gaylord, encountered problems with parks flooding or puddling in roadways, thus rain gardens were installed. The city invested in a solution so that stormwater would not degrade the quality of water by all of the chemicals, sand, grass clippings, and other debris that rides with it down storm drains and into local lakes, rivers, ditches, and streams.
Rain Gardens
A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway or street, and allows it to soak into the ground. It 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. They are designed to prevent the rapid release of excess stormwater into municipal water systems. Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property. By reducing stormwater runoff, rain gardens can be a valuable part of the community. While an individual rain garden may seem like a small thing, collectively they produce substantial neighborhood and community environmental benefits such as:
Increases the amount of water that filters into the ground, which recharges local and regional aquifers.
Helps protect communities from flooding and drainage problems.
Helps protect streams and lakes from pollutants carried by urban stormwater – lawn fertilizers and pesticides, oil and other fluids that leak from cars, and numerous harmful substances that wash off roofs and paved areas.
Enhances the beauty of yards and neighborhoods.
Provides valuable habitat for birds, butterflies and many beneficial insects.
As described in the image, a rain garden receives water from impervious (hard) surfaces such as rooftops, sidewalks, driveways and patios. The shallow depression of the garden is filled with a mixture of sand, topsoil, and compost. This mixture with the plants and mulch holds the water so it can slowly infiltrate back into the ground while naturally removing pollutants from the runoff. A typical rain garden is between six and nine inches deep. Choosing native plants requires no fertilizer and they provide food and habitation for birds, butterflies and other pollinators such as bees.
Resources:
https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-rain-gardens
http://nativeplantherald.prairienursery.com/2013/05/the-beneficial-beauty-of-rain-gardens/
http://www.faribaultcountyswcd.com/FileLib/Rain%20Garden%20Design%20Templates.pdf
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