From Part of the Problem……to Part of the Solution. Becoming a Good Watershed Citizen through Stormwater Retrofitting: Front Yard/Back Yard Watershed Solutions

A riparian buffer is land next to a river, stream, or creek that is usually vegetated with trees or shrubs, and acts as a protective filter for the river system.

A Rain Garden is a native planting bed that contains a shallow depression used to soak up stormwater during a storm. It is used to treat and capture stormwater runoff that would otherwise flow off your property into the stormwater sewer system.

A rain barrel is placed at a downspout and collects and stores stormwater runoff from rooftops. The collected rainwater can be reused for irrigation of planting areas (or potted plants) around your property.

Planter Boxes are, as the name implies, constructed planters, which receive runoff usually from rooftop areas.
Planter Boxes must be located reasonably close to downspouts or structures generating runoff.

Landscape Restoration, including restoration of forest and/or meadow from lawn/maintained turf, is an
effective method of improving runoff quality and reducing runoff volume.

Vegetated Swales are broad shallow channels topped with vegetation, also known as “bioswales.” Swales are designed to slow runoff, promote infiltration, and filter out pollutants and sediments. Vegetated Swales are a “green” alternative to conventional piping and are often called “Green Infrastructure” because they can take the place of a curb and gutter conveyance system.

An Infiltration Trench is a linear infiltration system, designed like an infiltration basin, yet shaped like a trench (long and thin). The Trench is topped with vegetation (buried beneath soil and/or plantings) or with hardscaping materials, such as brick or pavers.

The Subsurface Infiltration Bed BMP consists of a storage bed underlying either a vegetated or hardscaped surface for the purpose of temporary storage and infiltration of stormwater runoff.

A Dry Well, sometimes called a seepage pit, is a subsurface storage facility that temporarily stores and infiltrates stormwater runoff from the roofs of residential structures.

A well written document from the EPA on Water-efficient Landscaping with many useful collections of information. Preventing Pollution & Using Resources Wisely

A document from the EPA on how to protect water from urban runoff.

Healthy Household Habits for Clean Water from EPA.

A common misconception about storm sewers is that they go to a wastewater treatment plant. This is not the case. Storm sewers transport stormwater (rain and melting snow) to the nearest river, lake, stream or wetland. This document provides facts to help residents understand the rivers that literally lie beneath our feet.

A document from Delaware County Government about the benifits of a native landscape.