Retain the rain for future use
When heavy rains cause flooding, some people talk about the need for dikes to hold back the water or bigger drainage tiles to move the water away faster.
But there is a dramatically new way of thinking that says most flooding could be controlled if rainwater were contained where it fell.
Retaining rainwater also reduces erosion and pollution, the latter because floodwater picks up and carries whatever contaminants it comes in contact with, including motor oil, road salt, dog droppings and lawn chemicals.
Finally, retaining water and filtering it into the ground replenishes our nation’s underground aquifers.
Managing runoff has become a big environmental issue in the United States through new requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
Under terms of the act, most cities are required to get permits for the discharge of stormwater runoff, and to get the permit, cities must take steps to manage runoff. The steps cost money, and that’s where resident fees come into play.
Here’s a top 10 list of what you can do:
1. Improve your soil because the better the soil, the more moisture it can hold. Good soil is rich in organic matter and has as much as 50 percent porosity — or space between particles — that can hold moisture. Most urban lots contain poor soil. To improve conditions, add compost.
2. Bury your downspouts into your lawn — just make sure they are sufficiently far away from your foundation so you do not create moisture problems in your basement.
3. Install a rain garden. A rain garden is simply a depression in your yard that catches and holds water, allowing it to soak into the ground. They often are planted with native vegetation.
4. Plant native plants. Not all vegetation absorbs the same, just as not every soil type absorbs the same. Native plants usually have longer roots for holding moisture.
5. Reduce or eliminate your use of yard chemicals. It’s been said that water running down streets in urban areas during the spring has the chemical composition of weak acid because of all the substances it has picked up from lawns. At the very least, avoid applying chemicals before a storm.
6. Install a rain barrel. These connect to your home’s downspouts and collect water that can be used later for irrigation.
7. Many communities have nonprofit groups that promote good water management practices. Find out whether there is one in your area and volunteer to help with projects. You might get involved in “snapshot” sampling of streams, for example, that provides data for planning purposes.
8. Never pour substances down storm drains because that water goes directly into streams and rivers. Some groups put signs on drains to remind people where the water goes.
9. If you are replacing your driveway, consider alternatives to concrete such as permeable paving. The term is used to describe pavers that are actually porous, allowing water to pass through, and impermeable pavers that are arranged so there is space to let water run down between them.
10. If you own a piece of property with a stream, plant buffer strips along its banks. This slows runoff, decreasing erosion and improving water quality.
Reach Alma Gaul, reporter for the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa, at agaul@qctimes.com.
But there is a dramatically new way of thinking that says most flooding could be controlled if rainwater were contained where it fell.
Retaining rainwater also reduces erosion and pollution, the latter because floodwater picks up and carries whatever contaminants it comes in contact with, including motor oil, road salt, dog droppings and lawn chemicals.
Finally, retaining water and filtering it into the ground replenishes our nation’s underground aquifers.
Managing runoff has become a big environmental issue in the United States through new requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
Under terms of the act, most cities are required to get permits for the discharge of stormwater runoff, and to get the permit, cities must take steps to manage runoff. The steps cost money, and that’s where resident fees come into play.
Here’s a top 10 list of what you can do:
1. Improve your soil because the better the soil, the more moisture it can hold. Good soil is rich in organic matter and has as much as 50 percent porosity — or space between particles — that can hold moisture. Most urban lots contain poor soil. To improve conditions, add compost.
2. Bury your downspouts into your lawn — just make sure they are sufficiently far away from your foundation so you do not create moisture problems in your basement.
3. Install a rain garden. A rain garden is simply a depression in your yard that catches and holds water, allowing it to soak into the ground. They often are planted with native vegetation.
4. Plant native plants. Not all vegetation absorbs the same, just as not every soil type absorbs the same. Native plants usually have longer roots for holding moisture.
5. Reduce or eliminate your use of yard chemicals. It’s been said that water running down streets in urban areas during the spring has the chemical composition of weak acid because of all the substances it has picked up from lawns. At the very least, avoid applying chemicals before a storm.
6. Install a rain barrel. These connect to your home’s downspouts and collect water that can be used later for irrigation.
7. Many communities have nonprofit groups that promote good water management practices. Find out whether there is one in your area and volunteer to help with projects. You might get involved in “snapshot” sampling of streams, for example, that provides data for planning purposes.
8. Never pour substances down storm drains because that water goes directly into streams and rivers. Some groups put signs on drains to remind people where the water goes.
9. If you are replacing your driveway, consider alternatives to concrete such as permeable paving. The term is used to describe pavers that are actually porous, allowing water to pass through, and impermeable pavers that are arranged so there is space to let water run down between them.
10. If you own a piece of property with a stream, plant buffer strips along its banks. This slows runoff, decreasing erosion and improving water quality.
Reach Alma Gaul, reporter for the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa, at agaul@qctimes.com.
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