Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens

By: Andrew Ewing

ENVIRONMENTAL: Currently about 14 million pounds of toxins enter Puget Sound each year. Rain gardens should diminish this significantly. Puget Sound is a large part of the economy both commercially and recreationally. "Rain gardens are a smart and proven way of using beautiful landscaping to: clean our waterways, protect our precious natural habitats, improve homes and neighborhoods, limit flooding and save millions of dollars in pollution clean-up and expensive storm water projects." The impact of rain gardens on the adjacent area is that it is a place to plant native plant, reduces flooding, replenishes soil moisture. Downstream it reduces flooding and pollution significantly.

AESTHETIC: A drainage or flooded area can look pretty barren. A rain garden allows this area to be planted with native plants and control where the water goes in a series of permeable rock beds. Being able to control these features allows the aesthetics to be more pleasing.

FUNCTIONAL: Rain gardens typically aren't used for walking or driving on in this project, but are located typically along walking or driving paths.

SOCIAL: Rain Gardens can be done in neighborhood, helping create a unified look among the houses, as well as increasing public involvement. They can also be strategically located along walking trails to be used as places to stop and rest.

EDUCATIONAL: This is a project that can be done by all three. It’s a great learning tool for students of all ages teaching them about the environment, flooding, native plants, etc. For communities it increases outreach, education, and promotes environmental activities. Private sectors can be very effective to industrial businesses, as well as an excellent opportunity to host seminars educating staff members on rain gardens. Puget Sound project has made sure to include all three of these in the process of creating 12,000 rain gardens.

ECONOMICAL: Rain gardens take some initial upfront money to design and build. However once the rain garden has taken off there is very little maintenance needed typically. Also, some of the flooded areas require maintenance due to erosion. A successful rain garden should cut down on this as well.

PSYCHOLOGICAL: Rain Gardens do have the opportunity for a healing or restorative opportunity. This particular project is specific to individuals and corporations but does not give an exact example of this.

EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT: This project is pretty ambitious because of the time frame. They currently only have about 1,000 of the 12,000 they are trying to get. However they seem to have a wide variety of businesses, homeowners, and schools involved on this project. In areas where they have planned clusters have had significantly more success. As a result, this should perhaps be more of a focus, but overall this has the opportunity to be a successful project, and an excellent example of how to effectively use rain gardens at a regional level.