The new season of rain garden builds has begun in the Naylors watershed in Delaware County. PRC is collaborating with local organizations to help interested property owners install rain gardens designed to capture roof and driveway runoff diverting it from our waterways.
Rain gardens are designed to hold stormwater runoff, keeping it from flowing to our creeks, steams and sewer lines. Stormwater carries contaminants and sediment to our water ways compromising steam heath, and it can overwhelm our sewer system which may cause flooding situations. Capturing rain water, to give it time to percolate through the soil, will clean it of contaminants and will redirect it away from the storm sewer system. Green Stormwater infrastructure, like rain gardens, improves stream water quality, improves habitat health and reduces runoff load to our aging infrastructure in this densely populated region.
This grant, funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,will build five residential gardens this spring and five more in the fall. Volunteers help with the designing, digging, building the berms and planting, focusing on using native, deep rooted plants.
Email infoeast@prc.org for more information about volunteering on this project or for inquiries regarding hosting a rain garden on your property.
For more information about rain gardens here is the Vermont Rain Garden Manual.