Monroe County, IN Rain Garden Initiative

Monroe County, IN, US

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Type: Program

Status: Ongoing

Source File: http://www.co.monroe.in.us/RainGarden/index.htm

Description:

WHAT iS THE RAiN GARDEN INiTiATiVE?
The Rain Garden Initiative is a progressive effort on behalf of the citizens of Monroe County to take proactive steps to improve water quality through unique and effective solutions.

Rain Gardens are one of the most cost effective and community beneficial options to improve water quality. Rain Gardens can serve a dual purpose by improving water quality and aesthetic views at the same time. Making for both a more sustainable and livable community.

WHAT iS A RAiN GARDEN?
A rain garden is a planted depression that is designed to take all, or as much as possible, of the excess rainwater run-off from a house or other building and its associated landscape.

The plants—a selection of wetland edge vegetation, such as sedges, rushes, ferns, shrubs and trees—absorb the excess water, and through the process of transpiration return water vapor into the atmosphere. A more wide-ranging definition covers all the possible elements that can be used to capture, channel, divert, and make the most of the natural rain and snow that falls on a property.

How does a Rain Garden help protect our water?
Rain is natural; stormwater isn't. Government studies have shown that up to 70% of the pollution in our streams, rivers and lakes is carried there by stormwater. Although most people never think about stormwater, about half of the pollution that stormwater carries comes from things we do in our yards and gardens!

Planting a rain garden may seem like a small thing, but if you calculate the amount of rain that runs off your roof, you would be very surprised. That rain is supposed to soak into the ground, but instead heads down the street to the storm drain, carrying pollution with it.

What makes a Rain Garden Unique?

• They have a ponding area, but they are not ponds.
• Absorbs and filters rain that would otherwise run off your property and down the storm drain.
• The native plants do not need special attention once they are established.
• A Rain Garden can be a small, formal, home-owner style garden, large complex bioretention garden, or anywhere in between.

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