There are plenty of ways besides building rain gardens to manage stormwater runoff! Check out the photos below of several other methods of stormwater management.
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- Stormwater planters function something like rain gardens – but built up rather than dug into the ground, and with an overflow outlet instead of draining into the soil.
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- This creatively built art piece directs stormwater over a dumpster and into a planted area, while distracting from the dumpster as well!
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- A split driveway, also called a Hollywood driveway, allows stormwater to soak into the middle strip, while supporting vehicle weight on the left and right.
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- Pervious paving supports the weight of vehicles, while allowing stormwater to soak easily through to the ground. On the left is pervious paving, on the right, pervious pavers.
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- You can decrease the runoff from around your home by breaking up unused paved areas (called “depaving”) and planting there instead!
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- This “ecoroof” (actually at ground level!) is a demonstration of an “intense ecoroof.” Intense ecoroofs have much deeper planters than regular ones, and require more structural support.
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- This is one of our living walls at EMSWCD, with a planted mesh built into the side of our outdoor bike shed.
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- A standing living wall will absorb some stormwater while making a nice landscape feature.
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- Another living wall at a hotel in downtown Portland – living walls both absorb stormwater and can help improve air quality.
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- Trench drains capture stormwater on sidewalks or paths, and let the runoff flow into a rain garden, swale or other landscaping feature.
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- In this parking lot, small speed bumps also help manage stormwater runoff! The speed bumps direct the runoff into the adjacent lawn, rather than letting it run into the street.
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- Here is the same photo with an arrow to show the direction of stormwater running off into the grass.