What are the benefits of a rain garden?
Rain gardens have many benefits. First, it is an attractive addition to any yard. Both you and your neighbors will enjoy its beauty for years to come. In addition, rain gardens provide environmental benefits by improving water quality and promoting water conservation. Water that runs off hard surfaces, like your roof, and from your yard during rain events flows down the street collecting contaminants such as automobile fluids, yard fertilizers, and pet waste. This adds pollution to your local rivers because storm drain water is not treated before it enters your local rivers. For example, yard waste & fertilizers add excessive amounts of nutrients to rivers. This causes algae to grow and depletes oxygen in the water that fish and other aquatic life depend on. By collecting the excess runoff before it reaches the street, rain gardens reduce the amount of polluted water flowing into storm drains. Research has shown that the intensive installation of rain gardens in neighborhoods can great
