Design Tips for Rain Gardens: Storm Water and Runoff Control

• Overview

Understand the design and function of rain gardens and their use in the larger storm water management picture.Protecting valuable water resources from pollutants in storm water runoff is necessary and can be done in many ways. Rain gardens are a popular storm water management practice because they are aesthetically pleasing, adaptable to diverse sites, and can be a low cost method to both reduce runoff and remove pollutants. This topic will look at perception, terminology and connotations of rain gardens. Rain garden design, plant selection and maintenance basics will be covered. Long-term issues including aesthetics, functionality, TMDL credits, and current research will also be discussed. This material will provide you with an overview of rain gardens and their use in the larger storm water management picture.

Authors

Agenda

Rain Garden Design

• Location

• Size

• Overflow and Underdrain

• Construction

• Media

Rain Garden Plant Selection

• Planting Location

• Natives vs. Non-Natives

• Pollutant Removal

Rain Garden Maintenance

• Scum and Mulch

• Weed Management

• Long-Term Aesthetics

• Cost

Rain Garden Life Expectancy

• Functionality

• Credits

• Monitoring

• Current Research