Water running off of residential roofs, roads and driveways can increase water in a stream by 500%, leading to increased flooding and erosion. A 300-square-foot rain garden infiltrates 12,000 gallons of water every year, or enough to fill 2 ½ tanker trucks.
Why build a rain garden?
- Water that soaks in replenishes groundwater and helps prevent flooding.
- A Rain Garden protects water quality by trapping sediment, fertilizers and other pollutants.
- It needs no additional fertilizer and little pesticides.
- Native plants provide food and shelter for butterflies, song birds and other animals.
A Typical Rain Garden:
- Is a sunken garden 4-8 inches deep
- Has a flat bottom
- Is 1/3 the size of the area draining to it - usually 75-300 square feet in size
- Can be formal or informal in design
- Drains within two days
| Visitor Information Center (VIC) Demonstration Rain Garden (2008) |
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