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Rain Gardens & Stormwater Management
Yorkville's 1st Rain Garden
On Monday, May 19, 2008 the City’s 1st rain garden was installed on the south side of the building to capture 900 square feet of roof runoff. The 2 green circles in the center of the planting area are connected to the downspouts and gently disperse the water into the rain garden. A rain barrel has also been purchased to capture additional roof runoff and will be installed to provide water for the annual plants
at City Hall.
On Monday, May 19, 2008 the City’s 1st rain garden was installed on the south side of the building to capture 900 square feet of roof runoff. The 2 green circles in the center of the planting area are connected to the downspouts and gently disperse the water into the rain garden. A rain barrel has also been purchased to capture additional roof runoff and will be installed to provide water for the annual plants
at City Hall.
The City's 2nd Rain Garden
Yorkville received a grant from the Illinois Rain Garden Initiative in the amount of $500 to help fund the installation of a 2nd rain garden. Just outside the windows of the Recreation Center pool, a rain garden was installed on September 24, 2009 to capture over 9,600 square feet of roof runoff from 4 downspouts off the metal roof. The city connected the downspouts via pipe to flow underground to the rain garden, where the water can infiltrate the natural plants and have more time to soak into the ground.
About Rain Gardens
Roof runoff is collected in gutters and flows out downspouts into an underground system of storm sewer pipe. A rain garden collects this runoff at the end of the downspout and acts as a storage area where native plants absorb the water and allow for infiltration (water to soak into the ground). For more information, view the City Hall Rain Garden Planting Plan (PDF).
Install Your Own Rain Garden
Are you interested in installing your own rain garden at home? On April 28, 2007 the United City of Yorkville held a Water Conservation Community Forum. Megan Andrews, Resource Conservationist, from the Kendall County Soil and Water Conservation District explained to participants how they could install their own rain garden. Additional information is available at the Kendall County Soil and Water Conservation District website. You can also find out how to install a rain garden by accessing the informational brochure (PDF) from Applied Ecological Services, Inc.
More Ways to Conserve
Creating a rain garden or using a rain barrel are just a few ways that you can make sure your house has less of an impact on the environment. Additional low impact development methods can minimize the stormwater runoff from your home, such as:
Yorkville received a grant from the Illinois Rain Garden Initiative in the amount of $500 to help fund the installation of a 2nd rain garden. Just outside the windows of the Recreation Center pool, a rain garden was installed on September 24, 2009 to capture over 9,600 square feet of roof runoff from 4 downspouts off the metal roof. The city connected the downspouts via pipe to flow underground to the rain garden, where the water can infiltrate the natural plants and have more time to soak into the ground.
About Rain Gardens
Roof runoff is collected in gutters and flows out downspouts into an underground system of storm sewer pipe. A rain garden collects this runoff at the end of the downspout and acts as a storage area where native plants absorb the water and allow for infiltration (water to soak into the ground). For more information, view the City Hall Rain Garden Planting Plan (PDF).
Install Your Own Rain Garden
Are you interested in installing your own rain garden at home? On April 28, 2007 the United City of Yorkville held a Water Conservation Community Forum. Megan Andrews, Resource Conservationist, from the Kendall County Soil and Water Conservation District explained to participants how they could install their own rain garden. Additional information is available at the Kendall County Soil and Water Conservation District website. You can also find out how to install a rain garden by accessing the informational brochure (PDF) from Applied Ecological Services, Inc.
More Ways to Conserve
Creating a rain garden or using a rain barrel are just a few ways that you can make sure your house has less of an impact on the environment. Additional low impact development methods can minimize the stormwater runoff from your home, such as:
- Bioswales
- Brick paver driveways
- Cisterns
- Roof gardens