Have you noticed any rain gardens in your neighborhood lately?
I've been thinking for a few months now about creating at least one rain garden in my yard, and this year I think it's time to JUST DO IT, so that the rain water hitting the roof of my house will go into the earth, rather than down the storm drains.
The Northern Rhode Island Conservation District has made Urban Rain Gardens their mission. See their site for good explanations of what rain gardens are, why they are so important, examples of rain gardens, and how you and I can create our own rain gardens. Their website also links to other useful resources, including Rain Gardens: A How-to Manual for Homeowners from the University of Wisconsin Extension Service...."Your personal contribution to cleaner water."
The runoff from parking lots in particular carries toxic materials into our rivers and Narragansett Bay. The runoff from building roofs also overwhelms the sewers and thus pollutes the rivers and bay during storms. Rain gardens collect and hold the rain water, filtering the water as it seeps into the ground within a few hours or less. These are not ponds or puddles of standing water that will breed mosquitos. They are perhaps 5 to 8 inches deep, and are planted with native shrubs and plants that can thrive in both inundations and through dry spells.
There are demonstration rain gardens at Shea Senior High School in Pawtucket and at Woonsocket High School. So, where have you seen rain gardens? These are cool! Be the first on your block with a rain garden!
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