Environmental Value of Rain Gardens

Bio-restoration is a newer environmental concept for managing storm water. Stormwater gardens are of environmental value because they have the capacity to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into local rivers and streams. In Springfield, OH this includes Buck Creek and other areas like it. It is proven stormwater gardens utilize landscape areas because they are designed to hold rain water that has “run off” the surrounding landscape of lawns, roads, and rooftops.  

How it works? Stormwater is held in a basin a while and slowly released into a nearby body of water. In this way, stormwater detention basins reduce how fast runoff enters our natural waterways. This protects areas downstream from flooding and erosion.

In addition, stormwater gardens are proven to have environmental value because they eliminate sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) in a typical year; eliminate sewage backups into basements caused by MSD's public sewer system; and reduce sewage debris and sewage odors in local waterways. Gardens also decrease human exposure to pathogens and pollutants, such as E. Coli bacteria. The primary advantages over the standard garden/ basin approach is being able to maintain the pre-development site hydrology and remove pollutants from the storm water prior to discharging from the site.

From an environmental standpoint rain gardens help keep water clean by filtering stormwater runoff before it enters local waterways. In turn this helps alleviate problems associated with flooding and drainage. Rain gardens can also enhance the beauty of individuals’ yards, vacant lots, abandoned homes and communities. At the same time gardens will be providing habitat and food for wildlife including birds and butterflies while recharging the ground water supply.

A stormwater garden retrofitted

into an established residential area



 




http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/downloads/planning_building/planning_guidelines_tools/wsud/stormwater%20garden%20technical%20document.pdf



The Critical Zone:

Geosphere- rain gardens need a high quality of soil in order to form proper stormwater basins. Otherwise poor soil texture will negatively impact the environment because compact soil doesn't allow rain water in, which is a negative quality trait, if storm water gardens require soil to be held and slowly released.

Biosphere- it is important for rain gardens to have chosen native plants for the garden to look beautiful and chose plants that bloom at different times to create a long flowering season. In the biosphere critical zone often times long root structures are not satisfactory because they break up soil pathways for water and soil pass through.

Hydrosphere- plays an important role in determining the quality of water; water allows for environmentalists to find out how compact a type of soil is which is critical for the groundbreaking of rain gardens.  Infiltration tests are then performed this is done by draining 3 different water pits and collecting how much storm water scales up at the rain garden digging location determines how fit the landscape is for beautification.



Ideal example of a stormwater garden with plant diversity and quality soil for proper drainage

Source:http://www.esf.edu/ere/endreny/GICalculator/RainGardenIntro.html

By: Ashley Milliner
Sources:

http://projectgroundwork.org/benefits/

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/downloads/planning_building/planning_guidelines_tools/wsud/stormwater%20garden%20technical%20document.pdf

http://www.centralohioraingardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/geauga-swcd-rain-garden-manual1.pdf

 

 

 

Social Benefits of Rain Gardens

The social implications of creating rain gardens in Springfield could bring positive change to areas that have been experiencing an economic downturn and do not have the most optimistic view of the community around them. Rain gardens and other green infrastructures serve to both beautify areas by adding signs of life but they also can help to improve storm water and sewage flow. By minimizing overflowing sewers, the rain garden will not only help to improve the property value of homes because they are no longer in areas that have flooding problems but may also help to improve the image that the residents have for of their neighborhood. The vacant lot located off E. Auburn Avenue is located in a residential area that is surrounded by many homes and families. At this point, the lot has a bunch of potential for socially improving the area and also helping to solve some potential economic and environmental issues present in the area.

There are many positive social effects of rain gardens on communities that come from the biology of the gardens. Firstly the rain gardens have higher levels of biodiversity than most urban environments. This is a positive aspect for any home near the rain garden; it would feel more “natural” for residents to see than a grassy lot. These rain gardens are much more appealing to people than grassy lots, which are often the case with unused land in urban areas. Additionally, rain gardens could provide a home for species of plants and animals that people in the cities may consider rather “exotic”. Because of the more natural appearance of rain gardens, there would be a slight incentive for people to live nearby rather than an area without any natural environments, and this leads to higher property values for the areas surrounding a rain garden. This effect can be used to relieve neighborhoods that are in poor condition and attract investors, which would improve the social well-being of the community. Because people appreciate areas with greater biodiversity, a rain garden would be a valuable tool for improving the economic and social state of many communities.

The main function of rain gardens, conserving water in the soil instead of the storm water system, reduces the risk of flooding, which is a great social benefit. Rain gardens are designed to absorb water, unlike the concrete surfaces that prevent normal water infiltration into the soil. The plants that are placed in rain gardens are selected for their ability to draw water into their deeper root systems. By creating an area where water can slowly infiltrate into a soil with a higher water capacity, a significant amount of storm water can be prevented from going into the storm sewer system, which can be prone to cause flooding in the case of an intense rain event.

Preventing flooding by installing rain gardens has obvious social benefits because flooding can cause large amounts of damage and results in injury or death. Floods cause large amounts of damage, can cause loss of home, health issues, and often government intervention. Street and basement flooding are consequences that often affects entire neighborhoods or even cities at once. Not only can rain gardens reduce the strain on sewer systems, they can also reduce the risk of flooding, which has important social implications.

By Stuart Cotner, Melissa Sullivan, and Tori Jennings

Source: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/index.cfm

Social Implications of Green Infrastructures (Rain Gardens)

By: Melissa, Tori, Stu

The social implications of creating rain gardens in Springfield could bring positive change to areas that have been experiencing an economic downturn and do not have the most optimistic view of the community around them. 

Rain gardens and other green infrastructures serve to both beautify areas by adding signs of life but they also can help to improve storm water and sewage flow. By minimizing overflowing sewers, the rain garden will not only help to improve the property value of homes because they are no longer in areas that have flooding problems but may also help to improve the image that the residents have for of their neighborhood. The vacant lot located off E. Auburn Avenue is located in a residential area that is surrounded by many homes with families.

 
(A Green Infrastructure. Source: Sierra Club)

Since green designs can help to minimize the need for large storm water drainage tunnels, it minimized the amount of construction that our town will have to experience. In many ways, heavy construction that can affect roadways is a huge social issue and if we can eliminate the need for the concrete tunnels, we will shorten road construction time associated with installing new tunnels for additional combined sewer capacity.

EPA. Green Infrastructures.
http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/index.cfm

a) Wetlands save places like Springfield a lot of money.  Building just one tunnel can be millions of dollars.  Wetlands also help against flood protection and pollution control.

b) Creating these wetlands gives greater opportunity to surrounding neighborhoods because it could potentially increase the value of many houses.  It also is more pleasing to the eye, rather than just a empty field.  Wetlands also create more opportunity for recreational activity, such as, parks.

c) Wetlands slows down the rain and water flow, that goes into the storm drain.  If all the rain and water flow goes straight to the storm drain, then there will be sewage backup, which is not good for the environment.  Wetlands store the water but also wetlands store important nutrients, giving the soil necessary structure.

Wetlands are connected to the critical zone through climate and human influences. With high precipitation rates becoming a trend in Ohio's climate it is essential to have buffers in order to preserve the storm drain systems from being over used. The wetlands also assist with human influences keeping pollution such as gas an oils from entering the storm drain

Sources
http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/outreach/upload/EconomicBenefits.pdf
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
dnr.state.mn.us



Satellite view of vacant lot in Springfield

Holes that were dug on the vacant lot to test the water infiltration levels.

Infiltration Test at Vacant Lot to Evaluate for Stormwater Detention

Wittenberg student, Melissa Sullivan, pours water into the hole she and Marley Tullis excavated.  The will determine how fast water infiltrates into the soil. From this evaluation, Geology of the Critical Zone students will be able to evaluate the potential for this vacant lot site in Springfield, Ohio to detain stormwater and reduce combined sewage overflow.  Sky Schelle, Springfield Stormwater Coordinator, is in the background.