Community Scale Restoration

Rain Gardens and other small scale restoration projects help filter polluted rainwater at the source.

The Problem

What Exactly is Stormwater Runoff? Exactly what it sounds like! It’s when water (or snow) from storms “runs” or flows over the ground. Under natural conditions, such as a grassy meadow, this precipitation doesn’t flow very far because the ground is able to soak it up. However, problems arise in locations that have lots of hardened surfaces, like concrete, that prevent the water from being absorbed into the ground.

Our man-made system of pavement, gutters, and storm drains quickly carries stormwater runoff directly into local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay—without any natural filtering process. That means any debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants in that water are flowing untreated into the water that we use for swimming, fishing, and drinking water.

Studies show that about 50 percent of such pollution comes from individual homeowners through yard maintenance and chemical pollution from household activities.

The Solution

The good news is there are various techniques we can use to lessen the impact of stormwater, especially when it is next to the source, such as a driveway or roof, such as installing rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs, and pervious pavers. These solutions mimic natural conditions by capturing the stormwater runoff and slowing it down so it can slowly drain into the surrounding environment instead of washing straight into our rivers. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which would otherwise contribute to algal blooms and other problems in our rivers, are instead put into beneficial use by being taken up by the plants in the garden. Additionally, the absorbed water increases groundwater supply, which is important because many people get their water from underground aquifers

Featured Community Scale Projects