Managing Your Rainwater

When we develop cities we change the landscape, pave roads and parking lots and build structures with roofs. These impervious surfaces no longer allow rainwater to soak into the ground as it would in the natural environment. Rain water flows quickly off these hard surfaces and into our storm drain system, designed to move water quickly to our creeks, rivers and streams.

The effect on the stream is similar to that of turning a firehose on your garden for short periods of time! The result on our waterways devastates fish spawning beds and habitat for our aquatic plants and animals. The water quality also suffers due to the harmful effects of increased turbidity, which destabilizes water temperatures and reduces oxygen for plants and animals.

With a changing climate, the region is expected to see more intense rainfall events in the winter months. It is becoming increasingly important to properly manage stormwater to reduce peak flows and flooding events.

Managing Rainwater at Home

Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing rainwater for future use. At a minimum, rainwater harvesting systems are comprised of a catchment area, a conveyance system, and a storage tank. Systems can also include a pump, water treatment system and fixtures for the use of water.  Depending on the design and level of water treatment and purification, harvested rainwater can be used for outdoor irrigation, domestic purposes, such as toilet flushing and laundry, and even potable uses.

Rain gardens are landscape features that are designed to collect rainwater runoff from impervious surfaces such as roofs and driveways. They are simply depressed garden spaces that are designed to hold runoff and allow it to infiltrate into the soils. By allowing rainwater to infiltrate through a rain garden rather than enter the stormwater system, we can reduce flooding in our neighbourhoods and reduce erosion and pollution in our creeks and streams.

There are a number of ways that homeowners can increase the amount of pervious surfaces on their properties and allow the rain to soak into the ground. It can be as simple as choosing a brick or gravel path or driveway or use specially designed mixes of permeable concrete or asphalt. Plastic grid systems can be used filled with sand, gravel or grass to stabilize a driveway or a "ribbon driveway" can be used whereby only two ribbons are paved that a vehicle can access. Homeowners can also reduce hardscaped areas where they can and choose options that allow the rain be absorbed where it falls.

Most landscapes in the natural world are very good at absorbing and storing rainfall. In a typical forest 90% of rainfall is absorbed and stored by trees, shrubs, grasses and soils. Homeowners can enhance their properties esthetically while also adding capacity to absorb and store rainwater by planting trees and shrubs and adding topsoil amendments. In fact, topsoil amendments have been found to have the greatest effect for managing stormwater in the capital region! Residents should be careful when purchasing soil as materials may contain invasive species.

Managing Your Rainwater

Managing Rainwater at Home

Rainwater Harvesting

Build a Rain Garden

Go Pervious

Tree Planting & Absorbent

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