While the excess rain has caused problems in many other areas, it has at least allowed the department to demonstrate the effectiveness of rain gardens.
What are rain gardens?
Simply, rain gardens are designed to collect the storm water and allow it to slowly filter out into the watershed. Without rain gardens, rain water rushes from streets and parking lots into small ditches which eventually leads to streams and creeks. Unchecked, these flows cause problems such as flash floods, erosion and carries chemicals, fertilizers, and animal waste into the watershed.
Rain gardens are also attractive landscaped areas. Native plant species are planted to help filter and clean the water.
The department currently has demonstration rain gardens at Flat Branch Park, Louisville Park, and Stephens Lake Park.
The photos above show how the rain gardens in Louisville Park fill up and slowly allow the water to percolate into the watershed. The rain gardens are constructed to allow extremely heavy rains such as those in July to spill out without damaging the structure.
Kansas City is currently sponsoring a 10,000 Rain Garden Initiative. Mayor Kay Barnes, Johnson County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Annabeth Surbaugh and Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields came together to call for regional participation in the environmental initiative called 10,000 Rain Gardens. The goal is to actively engage homeowners, churches, businesses, non-profits and schools in a voluntary effort to reduce wet weather problems such as flooding, sewer backups and dangerous pollution of our streams and rivers. This site is a valuable resouce for any homeowner interested in creating their own rain garden.
For more information on how to build your own rain garden, follow this link:
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