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green stormwater

f a. rain barrel

b. permeable pavement

c. soil amendment

d. rain garden

a e e. downspout disconnection

f. trees and plants

c d
b

green why managing

rainwater

What are Green Stormwater Why Consider Greening Your
Solutions? Project?

This guide focuses on ways that REDUCE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT Millions of people depend on
homeowners can manage the stormwater Installing green stormwater solutions Puget Sound for natural resources,
that flows onto and through their minimizes pollutants and debris entering transportation, and recreation. This iconic
property. Practices that slow, filter, or local creeks, rivers, lakes, wetlands, water body defines Western Washington,
eliminate runoff are collectively referred and Puget Sound. These pollutants are but it is also a fragile ecosystem
to as “green stormwater solutions” harmful to aquatic life and recreational threatened by human activity. Stormwater
(GSS). GSS use plants and soil to manage activities such as swimming and fishing. runoff has been identified as the single
stormwater on site or collect it for reuse. When you capture or slow runoff, you biggest threat to Puget Sound – nearly
protect water quality, wildlife, and help three feet of rain per year runs off our
Want a healthier home? A cleaner Puget to restore natural ecological functions to roads, driveways, sidewalks, lawns, and
Sound? With careful planning, you can your landscape. A green approach with rooftops, carrying fertilizer, petroleum,
create a home that combines beauty, a home project will benefit you, your and other harmful pollutants. This
efficiency, comfort and convenience with community, and the environment. polluted runoff degrades natural habitats,
health and conservation. It’s an approach harms wildlife, and lowers water quality.
to home improvement with the goal of MAKE A HEALTHIER HOME A collective effort among homeowners
not only making your home look better, Rain that falls on hard surfaces like roofs can have a positive impact on the Sound’s
but work better—for both you and the and driveways collects quickly, typically health and our health.
environment. leaving sites through ditches and pipes.
This stormwater runoff can back up Fortunately, better options exist for
during big storms and flood homes, managing stormwater. A number of
and erode hillsides and stream banks. retailers and contractors offer products
By capturing, slowing and cleaning the and services for building green
runoff from your home you can filter stormwater solutions. These tools can
out pollution and allow rain to seep into make your house more beautiful while
the ground, recharging groundwater and improving ecological function.
streams while avoiding property damage.
The techniques described in this guide
present attractive and functional solutions.

green stormwater solutions Cover Photo: David Hymel