Photo by Wisconsin DNR
Beautiful Solution: Storm water run-off from roofs, sidewalks and pavement can contribute to the pollution of local watersheds. A beautiful way to mitigate those pollutants is by planting a “rain garden”. The storm water is absorbed by the plants in the garden instead of running in to the storm drains.

By the Wisconsin DNR

Homeowners 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.

Groundwater is important because it replenishes our streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and most of us get our drinking water from wells that tap into groundwater. Groundwater is also critical to rare communities such as wet prairies and fens.

However, in most of our urban environments, rain falls on roofs, roads, and parking lots – areas where it can’t soak in. Gradually these impervious surfaces cause problems. As our urban areas increase, so do the problems. With a parking lot, water moves quickly off paved areas into storm drains. Carrying with it a smorgasbord of leaves, grass, soil, oils, fertilizer – all of which end up in our lakes and streams. Urban runoff, along with runoff from rural sources, causes major problems for our water resources. The health of our waterways depends on clean water and places for animals to hide and find food. When too much soil or fertilizer gets into our rivers and lakes, it firsts covers the bottom with a blanket of sediment smothering the insects and fish eggs, destroying the home or habitat of many animals.

Catch the rest of the story in the June Issue of NatureScape News!       Previous Highlight