Is Your Yard Soggy?
Think you need to "get rid" of all the water?
Check your property, you might find some better solutions!
 
Where does your rainwater go?
After a heavy rain or many days of rain, what does your property look like? 
1) Are there standing water pools? 
2) Are there soggy areas? 
3) Are there eroded areas where rain has washed away soil?

Take pictures/ video:
Is there water somewhere that you don't want it?
OR
Is there somewhere you want water, where it isn't?

Keep Your Rainwater!
Climate change has made storms more intense (more rain in less time), & droughts between storms more likely. By keeping rainwater on your property, you can save time & money by watering less, trees & plants can develop stronger, deeper root systems, & prevent stormwater runoff. 

Heavy rains (or many days of rain) can quickly overwhelm stormwater drains, flooding the streets, culverts, & low areas. All this water drains somewhere, a creek, stream, river, lake, or ocean. This is why it's important to keep street drains clear of debris!

Stormwater Management. That is the Environmental regulatory name for how organizations, such as businesses, municipalities, agriculture, & even homeowners, deal with rainwater runoff. Whether it runs off hard surfaces like building roofs, parking lots, roads, sidewalks, driveways, outside storage (sheds, dumpsters, etc), or runs off land like fields, & yards. Stormwater runoff is a problem when it is full of debris (like trash, leaves, grass clippings, or soil) or contaminated by chemicals (like gas & oil or herbicides & pesticides). Organizations develop Stormwater Management Plans to help reduce damage & pollution.  (known as Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans or SWPPP.)

What can you do?
​1) Rain Gardens
Rain Gardens are beautiful! By planting Native Plants that like wet conditions, you can create a habitat. These thirsty plants will soak up the water, & grow deep roots that will help the water permeate into the ground. This will minimize pests like mosquitos that are drawn to standing water or soggy areas, as a rain garden will bring beneficial insect predators like dragonflies! 

2) Rain Barrels
Rain Barrels accumulate water that runs off your roof, through your gutters. Gutter systems can be directed to a single rain barrel, or multiple rain barrels in succession! Rain barrels can be purchased or DIY. This collected water can be used to water your plants during drier times, or even droughts!

3) Swales & Berms
Swales & Berms slow stormwater flowing downhill, giving it time to soak in, or allowing debris or soil to be deposited. Water running downhill comes to a low area (Swale), held there by a ridge (Berm). This is different from ditches that channel water away, potentially picking up speed, & more debris along the way! Swales & Berms reduce erosion, can even naturally filters pollutants.

4) Minimize Hard Surfaces
Hard surfaces like parking lots, roads, sidewalks, driveways can cause water to pick up speed, making it harder to be absorbed when it finally reaches a soft surface (yard, field, culvert). Everything that gets picked up in that water flow, will eventually end up in another body of water (stream, river, pond, lake, ocean). Replacing concrete surfaces with permeable pavers, stepping stones, or decking, allows water to be absorbed, instead of running off!
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​All these solutions will help you keep your water on your property, benefiting your plants, your trees, your yard!
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Water is a precious resource. 
​Clean water is essential to life.
What is your Stormwater Management Plan? ​