Limiting Pollution the Natural Way
Rain Garden Installation and Care
When stormwater runoff can’t be harvested and saved for personal use, rain gardens prove a great alternative to minimizing harmful pollutants in local waterways and potential erosion damage. Using native pollinators, a rain garden can make a beautiful addition to any property.
Stages of a Rain Garden
Location, location, location! If the rain garden is installed in the wrong spot, then the problem won’t be fixed or it could make matters worse. Generally, a rain garden should be at least 10 feet from any structure that is producing runoff.
A great method for finding potential spots for a garden is to perform an infiltration test. In these images, Raleigh-based teachers learned how to measure out a garden and perform an infiltration test.
Measure out the layout of the rain garden based on the volume of water needed to collect. This is calculated using the amount of roof surface area and the ponding depth for the garden.
Next, dig a hole no more than 12 inches deep.
Then fill it with water. The soil should absorb the water within 48-72 hours. If not, then that location will not sufficiently drain to accommodate stormwater runoff.
Once a location is picked and the garden dimensions are calculated, then the excavation begins. We used the help of a contractor for the bulk of the excavation process, taking laser level measurements until we reached the necessary ponding depth. To finish out the rain garden, USS paid 26 students as part of our Growing More Than Rain Gardens program to to mulch the site and plant various native wet-loving plants.
Watch the full before and after here!
If you are interested in installing a rain garden on your property or know of a site that would benefit from a rain garden installation, be sure to contact us.
Email: urbanss.org@gmail.com