This restores balance in the water cycle, replenishes groundwater,
reduces flooding, and protects water quality.
It is estimated that only about 10% of the precipitation that
falls on a forest leaves as surface runoff. The rest either
evaporates or soaks into the ground where it becomes groundwater.
Groundwater slowly discharges to surface waters, providing
a certain amount of base flow. This is why large surface water
bodies do not go completely dry during periods of little to
no rain.
As watersheds become developed, urbanization and an increase
in paved surface areas such as parking lots, driveways and rooftops
will change the water flow in the environment. More and more
precipitation “runs off,” traveling quickly to surface
water bodies, which results in:
Overall
reduction in groundwater recharge
Long-term
lowering of groundwater tables and loss of stream flow during
dry weather
Increased
erosion of stream banks
Increased
water quality impacts caused by pollutants associated with urban
runoff
Flooding—especially
more frequent “flash” flooding
To reduce the amount of surface runoff leaving your yard:
Use
vegetative plantings, mulch, or crushed stone to create buffers
and borders along buildings, driveways and streets to capture rainfall
and
settle
and filter surface runoff.
Maintain
natural vegetation or shoreland
buffers around surface water
edges and wetlands. Consider limiting the areas that are
maintained for access and view where possible.
If
you have natural woodlands on your property, consider leaving
them intact where possible. Refer to the Information Sheet Choose
the Right Plant for the Right Spot for more ideas on landscaping
with woodlands.
Consider
installing rain gardens to control and settle roof and other
surface runoff within your yard.
Limit
the amount of paved surfaces in your yard and consider using
permeable paving materials for driveways, patios, and walkways.
Use
rain barrels or cisterns to collect and store rainwater during
the growing season for watering plants.
For more information about reducing stormwater runoff and increasing
groundwater recharge
Healthy Landscapes Information Sheet:
Rain Gardens--enhancing
your home landscape and protecting water quality
URI CE Home*A*Syst Program factsheets:
Home
Landscape Improvements for Water Quality Protection
Shoreland
Buffers and Water Quality Protection
What You Can Do About Nonpoint Source Pollution
URI CE Home*A*Syst Program and the Southern New
England Forest Consortium, Inc. -- Today's Forest, Tomorrow's
Legacy: A Guide for Small Acreage Woodland Owners
For more information on rain barrels see our Healthy Landscapes
Information Sheets
Rain Barrels
How to Build and Install a Rain Barrel
Information about Cisterns
URI
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (URI CE Water
Quality Program) -- visit their publication
page and look for their pervious pavement series.
UConn
NEMO page on reducing runoff
The Center for Watershed Protection
or call (410) 461-8323
Information on rain gardens, rain barrels and watershed protection