Stormwater Control

With the increased development of our suburbs has come more frequent and pronounced flooding. This not only results in erosion, stream pollution, and destruction of aquatic habitat, but tremendous property damage and loss of human lives. Through several attractive, compelling, and sensible gardening/landscape practices we can help to reduce flooding and reuse a precious natural resource.

Rain Barrel

Using rain gardens and rain barrels
Reducing impervious surfaces
Using green roofs

Rain gardens and rain barrels -- Rather than allowing rainwater runoff to flow down your driveway or into storm sewers, capture this resource for later reuse or at least allow it to gradually soak into the ground and recharge the groundwater. One way is to divert water from your downspouts into a french drain (a rock/gravel filled infiltration basin), a grassy swale, or a rain garden (a shallow depression planted with plants tolerating "wet feet"). These should be at least 10 feet from buildings to avoid wet basements. Another option is to install rain barrels below your downspouts; these should have a hose connection, overflow spout, and a lid to keep out mosquitoes. Currently, there are some municipalities where disconnecting downspouts from storm sewers is still illegal, so check first. For more information on rain gardens, click on the stormwater management fact sheet on "on-lot treatment" at the Stormwater Center's web site .

Reducing impervious surfaces -- Impervious surfaces, such as roofs, driveways and concrete patios, don't allow rainwater to filter back into the soil. This can contribute to dropping water tables, dry wells, and insufficient stream flows as natural streams dry up. Fortunately, there are better alternatives.

Rather than...	Try...
Concrete or mortared brick or stone patios	Wood decks or dry (unmortared) brick or stone patios
Concrete or conventional asphalt driveways	Gravel, pervious asphalt, or grass paving (with open cells of plastic or concrete)
Paved paths	Gravel or mulch paths *
Grass lawns	Native groundcovers, mixed planting beds, more trees and shrubs
Diverting stormwater to drains	Divert to rain barrels or rain gardens
Conventional roofs for new construction	Green roofs

* Except where recreation or handicapped accessibility is an issue, then consider porous asphalt paving.

Green roofs-- Green roofs are vegetated roofs. They are specially designed with extra support and special membranes to be covered with soil or special planting medium and plants. Their purpose is to absorb and slowly release excess rainwater and provide greatly increased insulation value. While initially more expensive to construct, this is offset by a much greater life expectancy for the roof and reduced energy needs for heating and cooling the building.

Additional links:

U.S. EPA Storm Water Management
Stormwater Center
Low Impact Development Center
Rain Gardens of West Michigan
Rainscapes
Montgomery County, Maryland
Virginia Department of Forestry
Philadelphia, PA Green Roof Demonstration Project (PDF,3pg,149K)
Penn State Center for Green Roof Research
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
University of Connecticut - Green Roofs >
D. C. greenworks - Green Roofs

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