Rain Gardens

A rain garden is a landscaped, shallow depression that captures, treats, and infiltrates

stormwater runoff. The rain garden removes pollutants from stormwater runoff while recharging

groundwater and keeping it out of the combined sewer system. Rain gardens are an important

tool for communities and neighborhoods to create diverse, attractive landscapes where people

live while protecting the health of the natural environment.

Rain gardens can be readily implemented throughout a community to begin the process of re-

estab-lishing the natural processes of the land. Rain gardens:

• Capture stormwater runoff, reducing erosion and sedimentation and the amount of water

that flows to our streams and waterways during rain storms

• Protect water quality by filtering out and breaking down pollutants

• Infiltrate runoff and thereby recharge groundwater supplies and provide base flow to

nearby streams and waterways

• Provide the opportunity to establish native plant communities to promote biodiversity and

habitat for beneficial wildlife

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines stormwater runoff as the number one

threat to water quality in our lakes and streams, and rain gardens are one of the quickest and

easiest methods communities can use to reduce runoff, manage flows to combined sewer

systems, and protect water resources. Beyond the aesthetic and ecological benefits, rain

gardens encourage environmental stewardship and community pride. In addition, using native

plant materials in rain gardens is an important way to promote biodiversity and preserve native

species in developed communities. When used throughout a community, rain gardens can also

provide significant economic benefits by lowering costs for local government and businesses to

maintain and upgrade traditional stormwater infrastructure pipes and management basins. Rain

gardens can be placed in strategic locations to capture runoff from rooftops and paved areas,

including:

• Homes

• Schools

• Churches

• Parking areas

• Community gardens

[excerpt from Community-Based Green Infrastructure for the City Of Camden: Feasibility Study,

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program; Camden County Municipal Utilities

Authority; Camden SMART (Stormwater Management and Resources Training) Initiative,

November 2011, p. 19., https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3K64KV6].

 Home Revised 5/25/2018