Become a Rain Gardener . . .

On B.C.'s Gulf Islands and in many other rural areas, increased housing developments are creating additional pressures on well water quantity and quality.

There is a growing consciousness that how we care for the surface areas of our properties has a direct impact on groundwater quality. There are regulations in place for restricting pollutants, septic system issues, and manure management that cause groundwater pollution, but there is a lack of direct guidance on landscape maintenance to provide the best rainwater collection and filtration capabilities.

Rain Gardening is an urban stormwater management technique that can be used to inspire thinking along these lines . . . http://www.raingardennetwork.com/ is one resource.

Essentially gardens and yards should be designed to have a diversity of bio-geographically suited grasses, shrubs and trees that help filter and slowly percolate rainwater into the ground. The less monoculture, pavement, channelling and ditching of runoff, and bare, compacted ground areas the better.  Leave your forested areas with a healthy understory of grasses and shrubs.