Manage rainwater runoff with beauty and style

Water management is a great way individual households can help to keep watersheds, rivers, lakes and oceans from filling up with polluted runoff. As rainwater runs along the impermeable surfaces on our property - the roofs, sidewalks, driveway - it picks up whatever chemicals are there, from auto residuals such as oil and exhaust, to road treatments such as tar and salt, to lawn chemicals we've applied. These seep into the groundwater.

The more responsibility we take to manage the water that falls on our own property, the cleaner the world's water supply. Here are a few ways the environmentally conscious homeowner can manage water in a pleasing, functional way that adds beauty to the yard.

Rain Barrel

Add a rain barrel to catch water that runs from the roof. Installed below the downspout, a rain barrel becomes a reservoir for watering gardens and flower pots. Rainwater is great for gardens, as it doesn't have the chlorine and fluoride added to drinking water. Rain barrels come with a screen over the top to keep mosquitoes, other bugs and debris out, as well as a hose attachment at the bottom to draw water from the barrel.

Rain Chain

Made of solid, quality copper, rain chains are a beautiful and functional alternative to traditional, closed gutter downspouts. Guiding rainwater visibly down chains or cups from the roof to the ground, rain chains transform a plain gutter downspout into a pleasing water feature. Easy to install, rain chains attach to the existing gutter with no need for a contractor, and you can set up the rain chain to run right into your rain barrel. Rain chains are not damaged by freezing and require less maintenance than regular downspouts.

Rain Garden

A rain garden is a landscaped area planted with wild flowers and other native vegetation that soak up rainwater, mainly from the roof or other nearby buildings. The rain garden fills with a few inches of water after a storm, and the water slowly filters into the ground rather than running into a storm drain.

To directly manage runoff from the roof, attach a drain pipe to your downspout or under the rain chain receptacle for direct drainage into the rain garden. Dig a trench to lay the drain pipe, making sure it's at an angle to drain toward the garden for perfect rainwater runoff management.

For more information about Rain Chains, go to the Web site www.rainchains.com or for a free catalog call (866) 742-RAIN. For more information about rain gardens and rain barrels, visit www. raingardennetwork. com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent