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<br /> <br />Rain Checks <br /> <br />Technology <br /> <br />\ <br /> <br /> <br />Natural systems of storm-water <br /> <br />retention and treatment beautify <br />the landscape, cleanse the soil and <br /> <br />improve water quality <br /> <br />BY DAN SHAW <br /> <br />lH' ilufldn'd ,ltlc! fifty YCilrs agu, ;1 rdin- <br />drop falling ()J] what h IHI\\' till' Twin <br />Citics metropolitan regioJl had ;\ vcry <br />dilfe!"t'n! journcy than otle falling today. I"lla! <br />c'arJief filindrop 111(1)' haH' hit a leaf of a native <br />deciduous trl'e or a bl<lck of prairie grass and <br />l'Vilporated l)('foH' touching the ground. Or. if <br />it hit leaf Hiler and otlwr plallt matter, Illil! <br />rilindrnp-as pilr! of ;1 lorfl'nt of uther drops <br />Jl1a~' haw tJowed into the 1\-jississippi I{iwr. Or, <br />having fl'adH'd the soil. the raindrop could <br />haw' slo\\'h" worked its way dowl1 inln till' \\'a- <br />ter table, to Iw discharged sOlIlcday', clean and <br />cool. into il nearhy' hody of water. <br />I{ainwatef that falls 011 the Twill Cilic) to- <br />day ha" a much different fate, Uur cfficipnt <br />storlll-\\"iltl'f sy"te!l1 of paVl'llll'llt ilnd pipe" <br />quickly usher" watt'r to collection ha"ill<' or <br />nearby lakes, streams or wetlands. Along the <br />way, the water picks up nutrients, fertilizers, <br />pesticide,> ;\f1d other pollutants. <br />.\s a result, our landscapes arc often left dry, <br />requiring irrigation where previously they <br />hadn't, and lakes ;md rivers are degraded by <br />toxic rUlloff. fluctuating water levels and the <br />scouring effects of fast-mo\-ing \\.ater. \f~Hl~. <br />T\\.in Cities \\.ater-quality experts, as well as lay <br />citizens, however, arc beginning to rethink <br />how rainwater interacts with the land. l.and- <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~l.apc dL'signl'fs ;lrl' providing solutions hy <br />!L'Mlling how lo replic;ltl' natural ,>ystl'lTlS of <br />drainage ;lIld rell'nti()n <br />R;lin gardens, pcrvic)u'i p<lVeITH:'!lts, Hlllf gar- <br />dens, and vegetated swall's and \vetlanc1s are <br />now all being creatl'd to lIse watl'l" close 10 <br />wIll're it falls and thus alleviate till' problems <br />iust described. .111c<;e <;ustainablc <;trategies for <br />rainwater use cm be impIL'llll'llll'd by thcll1- <br /><;elvl's (Jl" in tandem to create i1 stOnll-watl'! <br /> <br />Thl'; Illus!rdflDtI show'; a tYPical <br />f,Jlnwater garden reCeN!/!C) n; <br />[Jdd:mq-jO[ Jnd (.2; rooftop <br />runoff Water IS absorbed by <br />otanrs dnd !3i fl/frated ()( (,ii <br />clirecred rl:lollqh a s',.,'al" <br /> <br />twatllH'nt plan that LJl'<,t suits the sitt'_ <br />[{ain gilrdcfl'> 'i('l'lll tn he the lI1ethud ot !la!- <br />ural <;lorlll-watl'r treatml'nt 1l10\t quickly gain-, <br />ing popula.rity. Rain gardens arc ~Illa!l clcpres- <br />sions--genl'raJly (ll 10 IOO square feet and six <br />to ]2 indll's dcep.-cornlllorJl~' pfJccd in low <br />areas of the landscapl' and planted with hardy <br />native perennials Jlld shruhs. <br />Attractivl' nativl' plants such as prairie blazing <br />star (Ulltri_) p}'c!ll/ostacl1iu), prairie cord grass <br />~Spdrtilla pectillata), cardinal flower fLo!Je!il/ (ur- <br />dinalis) and cup plant (Silplziwl1 pcrt2J/iatwlI) arc <br />commonly llsed in rain gardens and prcn.ide <br />the added benefit 01' wildlife habitat. The com- <br />hined activity of the plants' roots and ilerial <br />parts, as well as microorganisms on plant roots <br />:md in thl' soil surrounding the plants, can <br /> <br />Continued on page 56 <br /> <br />i-k6.HC i-i - M',{!l 200d 19 <br />