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Example of a rain garden along a roadway.* |
Green Streets rely on rain gardens to collect runoff from streets and other hard surfaces. Rain gardens use plants and an engineered soil mix to clean stormwater before it slowly soaks into the ground. Perforated piping underneath the roadway allows stormwater to infiltrate into the ground instead of running off and flowing into local streams.
Rain gardens are:
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Naturally attractive. They bring a touch of nature to the urban streetscape with natural vegetation.
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Environmentally friendly. They capture and clean stormwater naturally. The Washington Department of Ecology has identified stormwater as the top threat to urban water quality.
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Less expensive. They can cost less to maintain, particularly compared with servicing underground stormwater vaults and replacing filter cartridges. Rain gardens also eliminate the need for large stormwater ponds, reducing the amount of land needed for road improvements.
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Cross section of a basic rain garden with no under-drain.** |
Interested in installing a rain garden in your own yard?
Visit the Watershed Stewards’ Web site.
Image credits:
* Photo courtesy of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services.
** Graphic by AHBL Engineering.
