Page 8 - Everyday Kitsap 2016

Make a Splash

Putti ng your water to work

W hen Sherry Kanode and her husband bought
their home just outside of Bremerton they
became concerned about their large grassy yard.
“We used to have all lawn, and I noti ced how
the water from my property as well as the properti es up the hill
fl owed over the lawn directly into the Sound,” Sherry said. She
contacted the County to fi nd out what she could do to help.
One of the fi rst things the Kanodes considered was a rain
garden. Rain gardens allow rainwater runoff from impervious
urban areas, like roofs, driveways, and walkways, to soak into
the ground rather than fl ow to storm drains and surface waters.
These features make rainwater available for plants, which fi lter
out pollutants and reduce fl ooding and erosion. Rain gardens
can cut down on the amount of polluti on reaching creeks and
streams by up to 30%.
“The County’s program provided so much informati on.
They had technical assistance, great informati ve literature that
helped me select plants for my garden, and even provided
some funding to help me,” Sherry said. Her rain garden is not
only functi onal, but beauti ful too. Take a guided tour on the
Inside Report at Vimeo.com/kitsap/irmar16.
In additi on to the rain garden, Sherry implemented other
green stormwater soluti ons to reduce the impact from her
property. Like rain gardens, these techniques collect and clean
runoff from your home. She installed a permeable parking area,
which soaks in runoff and keeps it from carrying pollutants into
the street and out to the Sound. She uses natural yard care
techniques reducing her chemical use, and chose nati ve plants
enhancing the bird and wildlife habitat. “It’s amazing to see
how deer, birds, and other wildlife returned to my yard once I
started using these techniques,” said Sherry.
If you are interested in enhancing your yard with green
stormwater soluti ons, check out htt p://bit.ly/enhanceyouryard
to fi nd which methods work best for your home. If you live in
unincorporated Kitsap County you may be eligible to receive
technical assistance and funding to install green stormwater
soluti ons. You may qualify for a rebate of up to $1,000 for these
investments in cleaner runoff . To fi nd more about this and
other programs, visit www.CleanWaterKitsap.org.

Rain gardens can integrate storm water management
into a home’s landscape with a great aestheti c.

- COMMISSIONER ROB GELDER

pg 8 | Spring 2016 | KitsapGov.com