Georgia: River Basin Center: Rain Garden Manual

Rain Gardens
Sara Hoffman and Warner Orozco ECOL 8720 April 22, 2003
Table of contents
1. What is a rain garden? 2. Benefits 3. Design guidelines 4. Common questions 5. Plant list 6. A local example page 1 page 2 page 3 page 4 page 5 page 6
What is a rain garden?

A rain garden is a depression that functions as a miniature wetland. These landscaped areas, typically planted with wildflowers and other native
Why is infiltration so important?

Non-point source pollution is one of the leading factors contributing to a decline in water quality nationwide. Impervious surfaces such as roads, driveways, and rooftops create stormwater runoff that erodes streambanks and pollutes water systems. Turfgrass lawns also contribute to this problem, since their shallow, dense root systems dont allow water to seep through easily. As stormwater rushes over these surfaces, it picks up pollutants such as lawn chemicals, oil, grease, and road salts, depositing these contaminants into streams and rivers.
vegetation, replace
sections of lawn and provide a place for stormwater to infiltate. Compared to a patch of conventional lawn, a rain garden allows approximately 30% more water to soak into the ground.
Suburban house with rain garden
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Benefits
Rain gardens:
* Reduce runoff into streams * Filter out pollutants * Improve water quality * Recharge groundwater supplies * Help sustain stream baseflows * Are much more attractive than detention ponds * Help control flooding and erosion * Provide wildlife habitat An established rain garden in Wisconsin
Athens rain garden after a rain event
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Design guidelines
Drainage Area
* limited to less than 2 to 3 acres * preferably less than 1 acre
Slope
* not recommended for slopes greater than 15%
Ponding Depth
* maximum 6" recommended for soils with an infiltration rate of at least 2"/hr * maximum 3 to 4" recommended for soils with low infiltration rates or high hydraulic loadings (combine with a smaller drainage area) * ponding depth may be increased if using sandy soils and underdrains to increase filtration * any pooled water should be drawn down within 4-6 hours after a storm event
Underdrain
* build with a cleanout well that is accessible by the homeowner * do not locate within the groundwater zone of saturation * must have a hydraulic capacity greater than the planting soil infiltration rate * may outfall to a suitable location such as a common space area, stream valley, drainage swale, roadside open-section, or existing enclosed drainage system
Plants
* must be able to tolerate expected pollutant loadings, highly variable soil moisture conditions and ponding water fluctuations * use of native species is recommended * minimum recommended caliper size for trees is 1" * a minimum of 3 species of trees and 3 species of shrubs is recommended to insure diversity * avoid species that require regular maintenance
Surface Overflow
* typically not a design problem in residential settings due to small drainage areas * surrounding grass provides a naturally safe, nonerosive surface for overflow
House Considerations
* if using on a lot with a basement, make sure that there is a minimum 25 foot setback from the home's foundation * the rain garden's invert is lower than the proposed basement floor elevation * the rain garden is located downgrade from the home
Soil
* homogeneous mix of 50% construction sand and 20-30% topsoil with less than 5% maximum clay content and 20-30% organic leaf compost
Mulch
* maximum 2 to 3 inches deep * should be fresh, not aged * apply uniformly, do not pile around the base of trees * do NOT use grass clippings
Lot Considerations
* ensure that the rain garden is constructed entirely within lot boundaries * maintain a minimum of 2 feet between rain garden and property lines
Groundwater
* depth below rain garden invert should be at least 2' to avoid groundwater contamination
Source: The Bioretention Manual, Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources Programs and Planning Division, Maryland, 2001.
Page
Common questions
Wont a rain garden attract mosquitoes? No. Mosquitoes require at least four days to hatch and a well-designed rain garden should have standing water for only 4- 6 hours after a storm event.
How can I keep it from looking messy? Neatly trimmed shrubs, a crisp edge of lawn, stone retaining walls, and other devices can be used to keep garden edges neat and visually appealing. What happens to water-tolerant plants when there is a dry spell? Native plants can withstand a range of weather conditions. Species that do well in poorly drained soil will be fine during dry weather.
Newly planted rain garden
Garden after two years
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Plant list
Hardy native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs that thrive without fertilizers and pesticides work best in rain gardens. The following lists show a few examples of suitable plants:
Sunny Sites Butterfy Weed (Aesclepias tuberosa) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) Soft Rush (Juncus effusus) Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) Switchgrass (Panicum virginianum) Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) Turtlehead (Chleone glabra) Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Shady Sites Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Caterpillar Sedge (Carex crinita) Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensiblis) Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii) Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Red Twig Dogwood
Joe Pye Weed
Buttonbush
Cardinal Flower
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A local example
An excellent example of a successful rain garden in Athens, GA can be seen in the new housing development at the corner of Carlton Terrace and South Lumpkin Street in Five Points.
Collects rainwater from paved areas
Dry stone walls and a crisp edge
Rain garden is relatively large and very attractive
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Sources
1. The Bioretention Manual, Prince Georges County Dept. of Environmental Resources Programs and Planning Division, MD, 2001 2. The City of Lenexa, KS http://www.ci.lenexa.ks.us/watershed 3. Rain Gardens: A Household Way to Improve Water Quality in Your Community University of Wisconsin- Extension and Wisconsin DNR 4. Virgina Department of Forestry http://www.dof.state.va.us/rfb/riparianrain_gardens.htm

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Rain Gardens

What is a rain garden?

Why is infiltration so important?

Suburban house with rain garden

Athens rain garden after a rain event

Newly planted rain garden

Garden after two years

Red Twig Dogwood

Joe Pye Weed

Collects rainwater from paved areas

Dry stone walls and a crisp edge

Rain garden is relatively large and very attractive

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