Rain Gardens Campaign Will Give a Huge Boost to Stormwater Management

Campaign wants 12,000 rain gardens in Puget Sound

A Stewardship Partnership/WSU Program will get "raingardens"  going in a big way in Puget Sound Region.

Raingardens are a simple concept, but they take some thoughtful preparation and design to be effective and attractive for your yard or business. But, they can make huge difference in the impact to drainage in your city.  And, they are just what the doctor ordered to fix Puget Sound and our other important waterways.

The Associated Press • Published April 19, 2011 http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622478/campaign-wants-12000-rain-gardens.html

SEATTLE – A campaign is underway to install 12,000 rain gardens in Puget Sound to curb stormwater pollution and protect waterways.

• www.12000raingardens.org (weblink)

The nonprofit Stewardship Partners and Washington State University Extension announced the effort Tuesday.

Rain gardens are landscape features designed to capture and filter polluted stormwater runoff from rooftops and driveways. Campaign officials say these 12,000 rain gardens will soak up about 160 million gallons of polluted runoff each year.

The campaign will offer homeowners, city and county agencies and businesses free workshops and tours on rain gardens.

Stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution in Washington state. When rain falls on roofs, parking lots and driveways, it washes oil, grease, dirt, heavy metals and other pollutants into rivers, lakes and bays.

Here is  a "before and after" example of how a rain garden can enhance your yard and do the work of removing excess stormwater that might otherwise run into your local stream.. These projects work most effectively when several neighbors  coordineate to create a cluster of raingardens.


This is the problem:

And this is the solution:

Completed Raingarden Project in Puyallup

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Online:

Rain Garden Campaign: www.12000raingardens.org

for a free Raingarden Handbook to download.

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622478/campaign-wants-12000-rain-gardens.html#ixzz1K6x6ZJhU