1. What is a Rain Garden? Understand what a rain garden is and how it helps beautify your yard and protect the environment

2. Watershed Stewards Program Public Education Habitat Restoration Water Quality Monitoring 360-397-6060 x 7703 www.clark.wsu.edu Jenifer Naas, Program Coordinator Brought to you by: Environmental Services

3. Thanks to: Clark County Environmental Services Clean Water Program who funds the Watershed Stewards program through Washington State Clark County Extension http://www.clark.wa.gov/water-resources/index.html

4. Anatomy of a Rain Garden Image courtesy of East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.

5. Rain gardens are dish-shaped gardens that hold and infiltrate water

6. Build a rain garden to reduce water in the garden

7. Add color and interest to the landscape

8. Provide habitat

9. Reduce stormwater runoff and help the environment

10. Reduce the amount of runoff from your impervious surfaces and let it infiltrate

11. Rain in Clark County Vancouver 37.32” LaCenter 48.85” Battle Ground 47.22” Yacolt 75.76”

12. Find the area of your house’s footprint and other impervious surfaces (driveway, sheds, barns, etc.)

13. How much does your property generate? 23,250 gallons per year in Vancouver 30,434 gallons in La Center 47,198 gallons in Yacolt A train tanker with a 20,000 gallon capacity A 1,000 square footprint of impervious surface generates: 1,000 X.623 X annual rain fall =

14. Where does all that rain go?

15. Amended soil is key – add compost to your soil

16. Choose plants that work well in wet conditions and in your design (sunny, shady, wet, dry)

17. Inlet from your downspouts can be buried.

18. Plan for overflow by installing an outlet.

19. Planning = Success

20. Select your site carefully.

21. Percolation Test quick and dirty How to do a percolation test Dig a hole 24” deep, 12-24” in diameter Fill with water and let it drain (in the summer when the soil is dry, do this step twice) Fill with water again, measure water depth, let drain for 1 hr Measure water depth again Calculate soil infiltration rate: depth (inches) / time (hours)

22. Build It!

23. Construction Play with design – use string or paint Check for water flow – how far away is your source? Build in summer, plant in fall

24. Anatomy of a Rain Garden Image from East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.

25. Direct your downspouts

26. Bury the downspout Screen the downspout

27. Planting

28. Using Native and “Tough” Plants Bee Balm Monarda Vine Maple Acer circinatum Wild Ginger Asarum canadense Flowering Red Currant Ribes sanguineum

29. Mock orange Philadelphus lewisii Sun to partial shade, likes moist soils or dry rocky soils and is drought tolerant

30. Hardy Fuschia Fuschia magellanica Likes full sun and drought tolerant

31. Sword Fern Polystichum munitum Great shade plant Likes moist soil

32. Caring for your rain garden Water until established (usually 2 years). Then as needed in the summer and fall. Mulch to keep out weeds, retain moisture and to keep soil from becoming compacted. Don’t use wood chips as mulch – choose non-floating mulch No pesticides needed! Prune as needed Check outfall regularly

33. Enjoy it!

34. Where to go for more information Clark County Extension plant lists http://clark.wsu.edu/volunteer/ws/workshops.html#raingarden Pierce County Extension Low Impact Development site: rain garden handbook downloads on left http://pierce.wsu.edu/Lid/index.html Oregon State University rain garden guide http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/h10001.html Example rain garden designs (for Pennsylvania, but you can adapt) http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/raingarden_design/