North Carolina Cooperative Extension Backyard Rain Garden Program: Lessons Learned Mitch Woodward, Charles Humphrey, Bill Lord, Dwane Jones, Bill Hunt, Kelly Collins, Lara Rozzell, Wendi Hartup, Charlotte Glen

Goal: Pushing Back the Frontiers of Stormwater - Ignorance

Raingardens slow water runoff and improve water quality

Rainfall Rice Creek Watershed District Storage Infiltration

Rain Gardens Can Be Welcome Additions to Landscapes!!!

Design Principles of Rain Gardens Handles stormwater at its source . Decreases the velocity of water flowing from impervious surfaces. Improves water quality before it enters the stream or ditch. Keeps water on the surface aiding infiltration Cost effective (average $2-$3 per sq ft)

Handles stormwater at its source .

Decreases the velocity of water flowing from impervious surfaces.

Improves water quality before it enters the stream or ditch.

Keeps water on the surface aiding infiltration Cost effective (average $2-$3 per sq ft)

Rain garden benefits Add beauty (and value) to your property Minimizing rainwater runoff to storm drains or streams while allowing excess rainwater to filter slowly into the soil Protecting our valuable water resources Provide wildlife habitat Adaptable to other community problem areas

Add beauty (and value) to your property

Minimizing rainwater runoff to storm drains or streams while allowing excess rainwater to filter slowly into the soil

Protecting our valuable water resources

Provide wildlife habitat

Adaptable to other community problem areas

NCSU 7 Pilot Counties Funding Provided by 319

Match $$$ provided by involving County Extension Agents $ ….. I’m just matching funds to you, aren’t I?

Target: Homeowners Homeowner Workshops - ‘How To’ Rain Garden Stormwater Management How to Build Which Plants Work Best Maintenance Issues Rain Garden Events with Sign Up Site visits and data collection Installation Cost-Share Offered Follow-up to see maintenance issues and healthy plants

Homeowner Workshops - ‘How To’ Rain Garden

Stormwater Management

How to Build

Which Plants Work Best

Maintenance Issues

Rain Garden Events with Sign Up

Site visits and data collection

Installation Cost-Share Offered

Follow-up to see maintenance issues and healthy plants

Homeowner Education: Garden Location & Installation Where does water flow ? Where does water travel or collect? Observe your yard during a rainfall event

Where does water flow ?

Where does water travel or collect?

Site Visits and Data Collection Source and path of stormwater Size of impervious surfaces Soils type (sandy, clayey, rocky or mixed) Proximity to wells, foundations, septic systems Existing landscape features

Source and path of stormwater

Size of impervious surfaces

Soils type (sandy, clayey, rocky or mixed)

Proximity to wells, foundations, septic systems

Existing landscape features

Soil Evaluation

Be Aware of Clay Soils!

If drains less than 1 hour = too fast and plants won’t establish If drains more than 48-72 hours = too wet ! Backyard wetland?

412 Simerville Edward Baker PROBLEM: Water drains directly from roof and lot into pipes, without opportunity for treatment or infiltration. SOLUTION: This lot is the ideal location for a rain garden, 1) Enhance water treatment capacity by excavating existing native soil and replace w/ high permeability soil. 2) Carefully manage irrigation system to maintain a dryer soil to avoid rain runoff.

Sizing Chart 5 % Impermeable Surface Area Rain Garden Size Potential Rain Garden Dimensions (ftXft) 800 ft 2 40 ft 2 4X10, 5X8, 6X7 1000 ft 2 50 ft 2 5X10, 6X8 1200 ft 2 60 ft 2 4X15, 5X12, 6X10, 8X8 1400 ft 2 70 ft 2 5X14, 7X10 1600 ft 2 80 ft 2 7X12, 8X10, 9X9 1800 ft 2 90 ft 2 6X15, 7X13, 8X12, 9X10

Rain Garden Installations

Raleigh Rated as ‘Good’ Day of Installation + 18 Months

Raleigh #2 Fair Condition Maintenance issues persist! Day of Installation + 3 years

Fair Condition

Maintenance issues persist!

Cary Fair Continues to work well Fall After Installation After 1 year, 2 inch rain

Fair

Continues to work well

Durham Museum of Life and Science Fair Great Demonstration Site Day of Installation + 18 Months

Fair

Great Demonstration Site

Project Results 60+ Gardens treat 1 ac impervious surface Nitrogen removed over next 20 yrs 13 Workshops -11 Homeowner, 2 Master Gardener Created Local Expertise: Agents - Master Gardener Trainings Landscaper Trainings Demonstrations at Fairs and Museum Increased local Interest / Installations Strong Website Support Future opportunities = LID

60+ Gardens treat 1 ac impervious surface

Nitrogen removed over next 20 yrs

13 Workshops -11 Homeowner, 2 Master Gardener

Created Local Expertise: Agents - Master Gardener Trainings

Landscaper Trainings

Demonstrations at Fairs and Museum

Increased local Interest / Installations

Strong Website Support

Future opportunities = LID

What didn’t work

Minor Mishaps

Failures

Summary of Preliminary Analysis of Raingarden Condition. Rain gardener Type Rain garden Condition*______ Good Fair Failure Avid 10 3 1 Gardener Environmentalist 2 7 Direct Connection 4 4 To Resource Flooding 2 3 Issues Required by Law 8 15 8** Educators / Schools 1 5 *Good: Maintained well, functioning as designed. Fair: Maintenance not evident, still provide some treatment Failure: Not maintained, not functioning.

Rain Gardens Maintenance Issues 2 Years after Installation. Maintenance Issue Number of Rain gardens Affected Berm / Weir Failure 6 Plants / Planting 49 Soils / Drainage 10 Sedimentation / 8** Clogging Mulching 38 General Neglect / Abandoned 9

www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/raingarden