How can you help improve stormwater in our city?

the catchbasin that you would not want in a stream or river

Properly dispose of pet and yard waste

Minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn or garden

Recycle and safely dispose of hazardous waste such as used oil, paint, paint thinners and batteries

Use eco-friendly salt alternatives for melting ice and snow

Do not release

environment

Drain pools and hot tubs only after they are free of chemicals or salt

Use a commercial carwash eco-friendly soap

Ensure your vehicle

How to maintaina rain garden:

What is stormwater?Stormwater is water that cannot be absorbed into the ground during rainfall and

of hard surfaces such as pavement or frozen ground, collecting anything in its path such as sand, soil, animal waste, fertilizers and oil/grease.

forests, to buildings and roads, the increase in hardened surfaces results in more

erosion and water quality degradation. There are various ways in which stormwater is managed in our City including, roadside drainage through storm sewers or overland ditch systems, stormwater management ponds, and green infrastructure features such as rain gardens.

City of LondonStormwater Engineering 519-661-CITY (2489) x. 4574stormwater@london.ca london.ca/raingarden

london.ca/raingarden

Rain Gardensin London

Do not pour anything down

In the City of London, all of the stormwater

reaches the Great Lakes. It is important that everyone works together to prevent pollutantsfrom entering the natural environment.Everything you put on your lawn, on a driveway,or a catchbasin (a drain on your street) willeventually lead to the natural environment.

Compared to a similar sized patch of lawn, a rain garden allows for

30% more water to soak into the ground!

• Keep the curb inlet clear of sand and debris. Street sweepings can be swept and/or shoveled into a container for disposal. City pickup of street sweepings can be requested by calling Service London at 519-661-4570. • Periodically, remove litter and debris.• In the spring, cut back all dead stems to the ground and remove debris.• Weed and water as needed.• Remove unwanted grass from encroaching into the garden. • Every few years the plants may need to be thinned out.• Replace vegetation as needed, preferably with drought tolerant plants. Please note that runo� from the road may be contaminated. No consumable vegetation should be planted in a rain garden. Annually assess mulch coverage and add new mulch as needed. Mulch should be 8 cm thick to reduce weed growth.

Rain gardens collect surface waterruno� from hard surfaces (i.e. roads, sidewalks, driveways, lawns and rooftops). A pretreatment device prevents debris and grit from entering the rain garden.

Plants absorb rain and pollutants and may attract butterflies, birds andpollinators.

Amended soil filters the stormwater before it is absorbed into the ground.

removes excess water collected during heavy rain and outlets to the stormsewer.

The Sponge

Structure

Concrete Curbwith Opening

PretreatmentDevice

Connects stormwater to nearby watercourse

RockReservoir

EnhancedSoil

Improves the quality of water collected from hard surfaces that enters the storm sewer and downstream watercourses, which all connect to the Thames River

Reduces the potential for flooding and drainage problems

Lessens stream bank erosion by slowing the water down and reducing the speed of the water entering the waterway

Attract birds, butterflies, pollinators and beneficial insects, such as mosquito-consuming dragonflies

Rain gardens are designed to mimic nature in an urban setting.

Rain gardens are Green Infrastructure, designed as shallow depressions within the City boulevard. The enhanced soil and rock reservoirs act as a sponge to collect, absorb and in�ltrate rainwater runo� from roadways, driveways, or other hard surfaces. They can be planted with a combination of native or ornamental plants.

Rain gardens increase the amount of water absorbed to the ground, remove pollutants and decrease erosion to nearby watercourses, including the Thames River. In 2016, the City began constructing rain gardens in neighbourhoods and along arterial roads as part of road and sewer projects. Rain gardens can be retro�t in older neighbourhoods and streets to reduce surface �ooding, manage rainwater and improve water quality.

What is a Rain Garden?

london.ca/raingarden