Page 17 - 7166 - Rain Garden Handbook
P. 17
PLAN 1 11
Check Site Drainage
WHAT AREAS WILL DRAIN TO YOUR RAIN GARDEN?
First, you need to assess your property or project site to determine
the areas that will drain to your rain garden. Roof tops, driveways,
patios, and landscaped areas with compacted soils produce runoff
that rain gardens can absorb and filter. You may want to capture all
or part of the water from these areas in one or more rain gardens.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING WHEN
DETERMINING WHAT AREAS YOU
WANT TO DRAIN TO THE RAIN GARDEN
• Water can be delivered to the rain garden
Check for Seeps across a landscaped area, through an open
and Springs swale lined with plants and decorative
rock, or through an underground pipe
(such as from a roof downspout).
In the winter, observe the areas that will be
draining to your rain garden and check for seeps • Rain gardens can be placed in more than
and springs and other sources of water that may one location. For example, you can direct
be coming from around your site and adjacent Erica Guttman water from one part of the roof to a rain
properties. Be sure to include all areas draining garden in the back yard and water from
to your rain garden in your calculations. David Hymel another part of the roof to a rain garden
in the front yard.
