By Matthew Purdy, Executive Director
What can I do in my backyard to help the environment? What a great question, because that’s where everyone needs to start. However understanding what we should do in our backyard is not as significant, as knowing why we need to make the change. Having this knowledge can change the overall outcome of your efforts and greatly affect the perceptions of others on your completed work.
First, all soils are not the same. In fact, Iowa has about 450 different soil types. The texture of soil depends on the: Parent material it came from, vegetative cover, length of time the soil has weathered, topography of an area, and the artificial changes caused by human activities. Diverse soil types have different drainage rates, mineral content, and erosion potential. Knowing what type of soils are on your property, allows you to know what types of projects will maximize your landscaping efforts. The Soil and Water Conservation District is a great resource to find out what types of soils are on your property. http://www.bentonswcd.net/
Second, in most urban settings, approximately 55 percent of rainwater becomes surface runoff.
This can negatively impact water quality with sediment and unseen pollutants, such as lawn fertilizers and chemicals that may be free to move with urban runoff. Extensive surface runoff during and after high intensity rainfall events can increase the likelihood of local and downstream flooding. Conservation measures can help to capture and infiltrate this storm water, reducing a property’s contribution to water quality degradation, flashy stream flows and localized flooding.
How to lessen urban runoff:
1. Plant native they are hardier and can handle drought, wind, cold, and the summer heat. Once established they require no irrigation, fertilization, attract butterflies, and humming birds. They provide a blend of seasonal color, and are insect and pest tolerant even if the leaves are eaten. Growing native plants is a fun learning process. Each season brings some answers and more questions.
2. Rainwater Harvesting is the practice of collecting rainwater for future use, lessening the amount of surface runoff being directed to storm sewers. You can utilize rain barrels that are above ground basins. Bio retention cells or rain gardens utilize strategic landscape opportunities to capture runoff and give moisture back to the soil later.
3. Bio retention cells or rain gardens utilize strategic landscaping to capture runoff, giving it the opportunity to infiltrate to into the soil rather than move directly to city storm systems. These are made with layers of rock and sand to encourage infiltration and storage. The city of Okoboji, Iowa currently has over 3300 feet of curb cut-outs that drain into systems like these. Okoboji has implemented a city ordinance that mandates any new development must plan for a bio retention system sized properly to accommodate any runoff and thus keeping the water where it lands.
4. Paving surfaces like porous pavement, modular pavers, are both potentials for keeping rainwater where it lands and come in at similar cost ratios. Grants are being given for implementation of these surfaces through the NRCS Urban Conservation programs. Contact your local NRCS office for more information.
Urban Conservation Resources
www.rainscapingiowa.org www.iowastormwater.org www.exension.iastate.edu/ilf
Note: This spring, the Conservation staff is planning on constructing a rain garden at the Nature Center located at 5718 20th Ave., Dr., Vinton, Iowa. If you would like to volunteer to help or just be on hand to watch and learn, please contact us at 319-472-4942 for more information.
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