Bremer County Conservation Board

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Rain Gardens
Bremer County Conservation Board 1104 S. Main
St. Tripoli, IA [phone]
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Rain Gardens

• In Iowa nearly 95 of annual precipitation occurs
  as rainfall events that are less than 1 inch.
• These small rainfall events can be infiltrated
  to reduce runoff
• protect water quality
• stabilize stream flows

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Rain GardensPuddles Disguised with Plants!

• Rain Gardens are perennial gardens that are
  strategically located to capture runoff from
  impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, and
  patios.

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Pick a Style You Enjoy!
Spring Harbor Middle School, Madison Wisconsin
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• Rain Garden
• Pilot Project
• at
• South Riverside Park
• Waverly
• Partners
• Bremer County Conservation
• Waverly Parks Recreation
• Bremer County Soil Water
• Conservation District

Before
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Sod Removal
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Downspout Caps Tile
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Much needed help was provided by
Master Gardeners the Waverly Garden Club
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Waverly-Shell Rock Junior High 7th Grade Science
Class
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Tammy Turner (Bremer County Conservation) and
W-SR Junior High Science Teacher, Greg Hovden
prepare the third busload of students for
planting milkweed in the rain garden.
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Before
After
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Benefits of Rain Gardens

• Increasing the amount of water that filters into
  the ground, which recharges local and regional
  aquifers
• Helping protect communities from flooding
• Helping protect streams and rivers from
  pollutants carried by urban stormwater lawn
  fertilizers and pesticides, oil, antifreeze, and
  numerous harmful substances that wash off roofs,
  parking lots and other paved areas
• Enhancing the beauty of yards and neighborhoods
• Providing valuable habitat for birds, butterflies
  and many beneficial insects.

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What if everyone had a rain garden!

• Compared to a conventional patch of lawn, a rain
  garden allows about 30 more water to soak into
  the ground.
• As cities and suburbs grow and replace forests
  and agricultural land, increased stormwater
  runoff from impervious surfaces becomes a
  problem.
• By reducing stormwater runoff, rain gardens can
  be a valuable part of changing these trends.
  While an individual rain garden may seem like a
  small thing, collectively they produce
  substantial neighborhood and community
  environmental benefits.

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Styles of Rain Gardens

• Partial Shade Rain Garden
• Full Sun Rain Garden
• Daylily Rain Garden
• Easy Shrub Rain Garden
• Prairie Rain Garden
• Curb-cut Rain Garden
• Butterfly Rain Garden

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Rain Garden- July 2006
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Blanket Flower
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Rain Garden-Looking South
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Lantana
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Butterfly Milkweed
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Rain Garden-Looking North
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Rain Garden- August 2006
Goldenrod
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Great Blue Lobelia
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NoddingOnion
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PurpleConeflower
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Sedum
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Black-eyed Susans
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Butterfly Milkweed
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Rain Garden Open HouseSeptember 7th, 2006
The public was invited to a open house to learn
about the value of rain gardens.
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Monarch Tagging
Monarch Butterflies were tagged as part of the
open house celebration.
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Monarch Waystations
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Waystation Certification
Monarch Waystations are like Bed Breakfasts for
migrating Monarchs!

• To establish a Monarch Waystation at your home or
  workplace, go to www.monarchwatch.org!

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South Riverside Rain Garden

• For more information about the Butterfly Rain
  Garden at South Riverside Park in Waverly, IA
  contact Tammy Turner at the Bremer County
  Conservation Board, [phone] or
  bremerwr_at_butler-bremer.com.

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For More Rain Garden Assistance

• Web-sites
• www.ci.des-moines.ia.us/departments/pr/rain5Fgard
  ens5Ftools.htm
• Des Moines Park Recreation, Rain Garden Manual
• www.raingardens.org
• Rain Gardens of West Michigan Saving the Great
  Lakes One Rain Garden at a Time.
• http//clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/home.htmrain
• University of Wisconsin Extension
• www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/nps/rg/
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
• www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/
• Maplewood, Minnesota- Once on the website, look
  under Public Works. Click on Stormwater
  Management and then click on Rainwater Gardens.