New ideas for rain gardens and rain harvesting

Several years ago Kansas City came up with the idea of building 10,000 rain gardens to help reduce flooding in flood prone areas where streets, parking lots and roofs contribute to a lot of run off during heavy rain storms. An easy and inexpensive way to reduce water flow is to hollow out a low area where water collects and turn it into a rain garden. The soil can be amended with diatomaceous earth to absorb more water. Plants will slow and purify the water flow with their deep root systems.

More sophisticated and expensive systems have been developed by digging deep trenches, placing a liner and underlayment in the trench; then placing a matrix system (with a cleanout and pump at one end) and then covering the area with two feet of soil. Shrubs and plants (perennials, vegetable, cutting, butter fly, etc.) can be planted and mulched to help incorporate an attractive area in the landscape.

Downspouts from the structure will drain into the matrix area which can hold water for several weeks. It can then be re-circulated back on top of the soil with a soaker hose to water the plants during dry periods.

Statistics that Kip gave were: the national average for water usage is that we use 70% of our water outside and only 30% inside; the earth has only 3% fresh water and 97% salt water. Both of these statistics show why we need to protect and preserve our clean water supply.

To re-cap why we need to build rain gardens:
• Rain gardens help prevent or slow down erosion.
• Rain gardens help reduce pollution that goes into our water ways.
• We are overloading our sewer systems, some of which are outdated.
• Storm water run off is normally warmer, which increases the water temperature of our waterways.

Kip is the owner of PADS (Professional Aquatic Design and Supplies), which specializes in design, sales and installation of water gardens and rain gardens. Floyd Gruver won the door prize provided by Kip - a 13 oz. can of Microbe-Lift Legacy Koi and Goldfish Food.