When we receive a rain, a lot of it falls on surfaces that can't soak up water. Instead of allowing all of this water to uselessly drain away, one can create a place that will allow the water to drain back into the ground, away from the house. This is the idea behind a rain garden.
A typical rain garden is an area that is 4 to 8 inches deep, with a flat bottom. The size of the garden for most yards would need to be around 75 to 300 square feet in size. A berm is built on the down slope end and sides to help keep water from running out of the garden. Rain gardens are designed to drain within an average oftwo days, so mosquito concerns should not be a problem.
There are many native wildflowers that will work well in a rain garden. Native perennials do not need fertilizers and pesticides to thrive. It is usually best to start the garden with plugs instead of seeds.
If designed properly, the garden can enhance the beauty of yards and neighborhoods, along with providing habitat for birds and butterflies.
For more information on rain gardens, visit the following web sites:
Biodiversity describes the variety of life on earth and the complex relationships between all living things and their environment. Many factors threaten global biodiversity, including habitat loss and degradation, invasive exotic species, pollution, overpopulation, and excess consumption of natural resources. People depend on the earth's biodiversity each and everyday, as it provides us with food, water, air, fiber, fuel and medicine. Therefore, the actions and lifestyle decisions you make each day impact biodiversity. Here are a few things you can do to protect biodiversity:
Avoid products made from endangered or threatened species
Choose durable products over disposables
Buy organic products
Purchase locally grown produce that is "in season"
Choose products with little or no packaging
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Compost grass clippings, leaves and food scraps
Avoid planting invasive exotic species – remove them if established
Incorporate native plants into your planting areas
Create a rain garden to capture pollutants and storm water
Keep pets indoors, in an outdoor kennel, or on a leash
Use biodegradable cleaning products
Conserve water and check home for leaks
Purchase energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs
Use and/or support renewable energy
Volunteer in your local community – plant a tree or pick up litter
By understanding how the choices you make in your everyday life impact biodiversity, you can help protect life on earth.
With this summer's hot, dry weather, numerous communities have already enacted a number of water restrictions to limit the amount of water used by homeowners. Some of the restricted uses may include limiting the amount of water used for lawns and gardens, washing cars, filling swimming pools, and other summer activities. In most situations, restrictions may also include substantial rate increases for water usage, thus effectively encouraging water conservation by all household members. Even if you are not facing water usage restrictions, water conservation is a practical way to protect our environment and save money at the same time.
The following water-saving tips may assist homeowners to reduce their water usage:
Reduce evaporation losses from flower & vegetable gardens by using an organic mulch.
Set your lawn mower at highest setting to reduce evaporation from soil.
Collect water from roof gutters to use for lawn and plant watering.
Water the lawn in the early morning to avoid evaporation losses – irrigate slowly, deeply and infrequently.
Run an automatic dishwasher and the clothes washer only with a full load.
Take shorter showers. Unless a shower lasts 7 minutes or less, bathing in a tub will use less water.
Don't let faucets run for washing and rinsing.
Flush the toilet less often.
Turn off water while brushing your teeth – this step can save a family 5 – 10 gallons/day or 3650 gallons/year.
Keep a bottle of water in the refrigerator rather than letting water run in the sink to get a cool drink.
Locate the water heater near the points of greatest hot water use.
If you must wash your car, rinse it once, then use a soapy bucket of water to wash it, and then give it a quick rinse. Wash car over lawn to utilize the water.
Install water-saving devices, such as aerators, flow regulators, and volume reducers.
- Bob Frazee, Extension Educator, Natural Resources
Insect Problems/Invasive Plant Species...
Natural boundaries, basic features of Earth such as topography, climate and ecosystems are defeated by mankind on a regular basis. Expanding populations, the yearn for travel and trade across mountain ranges, bodies of water, vast areas void of vegetation may signal the advent of several "new" plant diseases and "invasive" insects yet to be considered "biologically established" on this continent. Now, before panic sets in, consider that we are not talking about continental United States, but China!
Yes, there's been a lot of press coverage concerning the spread of Asian long-horned beetle, European Ash borer, Giant African Snails, and Japanese beetles creating havoc on the flora of the midwest. But on the flip-side, check out what China has to say about the American White Moth (Hyphantria cunea – Fall webworm) that is eating its way across forests and crops in China, cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) that has the capacity to invade natural grasslands, crayfish (Procambius clarkii), American Pinewood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) that has reduced certain species of native pines of China, and American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana). What goes around comes around, be it bug, slug, or plug. If archeologists are correct, the "invasiveness" of a plant (or insect) is more likely a function of time. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) was "native to North America... North America 7 million years ago.
- Gary Letterly, Extension Educator, Natural Resources
Environmentally Friendly Water Sources - Rain Barrels
Ever wish you had an easy source of outside water that was inexpensive and convenient? Have you ever considered a rain barrel?
Rain barrels are containers that capture water from downspouts. They come in a variety of sizes and are environmentally friendly. Capturing rain water provides homeowners with a free outside water source and, in urban settings, keeps that water from entering storm drains, decreasing runoff. A common practice for the early settlers living on the prairie, the use of rain barrels has recently re-emerged in the United States.
There are many places on the internet where rain barrels can be purchased, with prices varying greatly.
However, if you are looking for an easy winter project, consider making one yourself. Search for rain barrel directions on the internet and you will be greeted with several hundred web sites. Pick the one you like the most and gather your materials.
I was able to make a 55 gallon rain barrel for my home for less than $20.00. It was fun, easy and has provided an easy source of water for my flowers and garden this summer!
The development of new shopping centers, new houses, new roads and parking lots creates impervious areas. An impervious area is any surface in a watershed that does not allow water to soak into the ground, increasing storm water runoff. The amount of impervious area in a watershed affects the health of the watershed and water quality, and thus can be used to predict the health of our streams. Water quality deteriorates as the amount of impervious area increases in a watershed. Watersheds with 10 percent or greater amount of impervious area have been shown to negatively affect stream quality.
Our growing and changing communities can impact our water quality and the health of our streams. As our land use intensifies with development it will have a direct relationship on our water quality as it reduces the amount of water available for groundwater recharge and affects the base flow (year round flow between storms, maintained by the slow seepage of groundwater out of the soil) of perennial rivers and total groundwater discharge into our rivers. Urban areas with a lot of impervious surfaces rely on storm water drains to carry storm water runoff to streams and rivers resulting in more pollution.
Before we make any decisions about development and land use in a watershed, we need to think of the whole watershed, its resources and the needs of its inhabitants. A healthy watershed requires an ongoing level of protection. It is up to us to protect our greatest natural resource, water, for current and future generations.
- Susan Meeker, Extension Educator, Natural Resources
