A rain garden is a shallow depression in the ground that captures runoff from a roof, parking lot or driveway and allows it to soak into the ground, rather than running across roads, capturing pollutants, and delivering them to the Watershed. Plants and soil work together to absorb and filter pollutants and return cleaner water through the ground to nearby streams. Rain gardens also reduce flooding by sending the water back underground, rather than into the street. Besides helping water quality and reducing flooding, rain garden plants provide habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife!
Rain gardens are placed between stormwater runoff sources (roofs, driveways, parking lots) and runoff destinations (storm drains, streets, streams and eventually the Watershed).
The rain garden fills with a few inches of water after a storm, and the water slowly filters into the ground. Because water is only in the rain garden for a day or two, it doesn't become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
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