STORMWATER
rUNOFF
Arrows in the illustration show the direction of runoff from impervious surfaces. Ideal rain garden locations are shown within the white and yellow lines.
What is stormwater?
Stormwater runoff solutions
Stormwater is rain or melted snow that doesn’t soak into the ground. Instead, it runs off hard surfaces like rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, and even compacted lawns. These areas are called impervious surfaces.
As the stormwater flows downhill, it collects sediment, chemicals, and other pollutants, carrying them into lakes, rivers, and streams.
In flat areas, stormwater has nowhere to go—pooling on the surface, flooding yards, streets, and sometimes damaging property.
That’s why managing stormwater is so important for protecting our waterways and communities.
You can make a big difference by reducing the stormwater runoff from your property.
One simple step is to limit impervious surfaces. Keep a portion of your yard for lawn and recreation, but allow the rest to remain natural. This helps rainwater soak into the soil instead of rushing off into streets and waterways.
Another option is adding a rain garden. Placed in a spot where water naturally flows, a rain garden is a shallow basin planted with native flowers, grasses, and shrubs. These plants not only soak up more water than traditional turf, but also filter pollutants and allow water to slowly seep back into the ground.
Not sure where to begin?
We can help!
Whether you own a large lot or occupy just a small plot of land, we can point you to a handful of conservation practices that will benefit your property, your neighborhood, and nearby waterways.
We may be able to pay 50% of the cost of your environmental project. Funds are limited for shoreline restorations, rain gardens, and erosion control.
Interested in learning more? We'll send a technician to your site to discuss your project.