A Rain Garden

A Rain Garden. Cleaning Water Naturally. , When rain falls on hard surfaces like parking lots, roads, and rooftops, it becomes stormwater runoff that flows quickly across land, into storm drains, and then to streams, rivers, and eventually Lake Michigan., This area of natural drainage was converted into a rain garden in 2017 when Dunes Learning Center and the National Park Service began restoring this campus to its former natural glory. Previously, this area was filled with invasive species, which didn't allow native plants to grow. Native plants absorb and clean rainwater by temporarily trapping water so it can percolate, filtering out pollutants and improving water quality as it replenishes groundwater levels., Volunteers from the NIPSCO Environmental Action Team (NEAT) helped install a wide variety of native perennial plants with deep root systems to help filter the stormwater before it leaves the garden and flows toward the East Branch of the Little Calumet River., More About Rain Gardens: , A rain garden is not a water garden or wetland. Most of the time, the garden is dry, only holding water during/after a rain., Rain gardens can remove 90% of contaminants and up to 80% of sediments from runoff., Rain gardens allow 30% more water to soak into the ground and improve biodiversity, attracting beneficial insects, butterflies, and birds., Plants include: Black-Eyed Susan, Beard Tongue, Coreopsis, Coneflowers, Rushes, Sedges, and Grasses., [Captions:] , Plant Choices , Choose Plants based on need for light, moisture and soil. Vary plant structure, height and flower color for seasonal appeal and butterfly habitat. The use of native plants is encouraged., Depth , A typical rain garden is between six and nine inches deep. This depth, proportionate to surface area, helps ensure water will infiltrate quickly and not pond., Size , A rain garden is typically 7 to 20 percent the size of the impervious surface that generates runoff., Soil Amendments , A good soil mix for rain gardens is 50 percent sand, 30 percent compost, and 20 percent topsoil., Location , Rain gardens are often located at the end of a roof gutter or drain spout, as a buffer between the lawn and the street.