Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are popular choices when dealing with water runoff. As the name implies, rain gardens soak up rainwater, mainly from your roof, but also from your driveway and lawn. The gardens fill with a few inches of water and allow the water to slowly filter into the ground rather than running off to storm drains. According to the UW-Extension, compared to a patch of conventional lawn, a rain garden allows about 30 percent more water to soak into the ground.
Reducing rain runoff helps prevent pollutants such as fertilizers from washing off your yard, into storm sewers, and eventually into nearby streams and lakes. This reduces the chances for local flooding, as well as bank and shoreline damage where storm drains empty into streams and lakes.
Rain gardens are planted with wildflowers and other native vegetation that not only add color to a lawn, but also assist with water absorption. Rain gardens can be added to any landscape project. Although a very popular choice for water conservation, rain gardens are just one way a homeowner or business can conserve outdoor water.