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WestVirginiaConservationAgency

IncooperationwiththeChesapeakeBayProgram

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A"raingarden"isamanmadedepressioninthegroundthatisusedasa.

"bioretention area"by

collecting

water

runoff

and

storing

it,

permitting

ittobefilteredandslowlyabsorbedbythesoil.

Graphiccompliments

of

Sleepy

Creek

Watershed

Association

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w

agriculturalland,

increased

runoff

from

impervious

surfacesbecomesa roblem.

Stormwaterrunofffromdevelopedareasincrease

flooding;carries

pollutants

from

streets,

parking

lots

andevenlawnstolocalstreams;andleadstocostlymunicipalimprovementsinstormwatertreatment.

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Increasedfiltration

Rechargeaquifers

Protection

from

flooding

Waterqualityprotectionfrompollutants

Enhancedbeauty

Habitatforwildlife

owma ntenance

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Raingardens

are

suitable

for

any

land

use

situation

residential,commercial,andindustrial.Araingardenshouldbeplacedsothatimpervioussurfaces

will

drain

into

the

depression

area.

Its

purpose

is

to

waterenteringconventionalstormdrainsandnearbystreamsandrivers.

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Doesarain

garden

form

apond?No,therainwaterwillsoakinsothatthegardenisdrybetweenrainfalls.

Aretheyabreedinggroundformosquitoes?No,mosquitoesneed7to12daystolayeggsandhatch waterwillstandingardenonlyafewhours.

Dotheyrequirelotsofmaintenance?Theycanbemaintainedwithlittleeffortaftertheplantsareestablished.

ome wee ng

an

water ng

w

enee e

rst

year

or

two.

Isaraingardenexpensive?

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GraphiccomplimentsofSleepyCreekWatershedAssociation

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a ea vantageo ex st ng ra nagepattern

Notedirectionofrunoffandwherewatercollectsb usin thewaterhosemethod

Everysiteisunique!

Checkyoursoils

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Avoidcreatingyourgardentooclosetoyourbuildingfoundation

Stayaway

from

septic

drain

field

CallMISSUTILITYbeforedigging! 1800.245.4848Avoidservicelinesorutilities

Trynottoputyourgardendirectlyunderatree needsfullor artialsun

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Integrateintoexistingandfuture

landscaping

Payattentiontoviewsfrominsideand

outsidethe

house

as

well

as

throughout

the

landscape

Thinkdiversity

and

mix

itup

Sketchitfirst

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T icalrain ardenran esfrom100to 00

squarefeet.

Sizingwilldependupon:

Howdeepthegardenwillbe

Typeof

soil

Howmuchdrainageareayouwillbehandling

Typicalgardenis4to8inchesdeep

Keepthegardenlevel!

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GraphiccomplimentsofSleepyCreekWatershedAssociation

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Again 3to4depression c as ape!

Ifyour

soil

lacks

organic

matter,digdipperandadd2to3 nc eso compostorhumus.

Level! Createaberm onlower

sideofgardentoholdwater

se

ownspoutextens ons

orshallowditchtodirectwaterintoyourgarden

Graphicfrom

Rain

Gardens

A

how

to

manual

for

homeowners

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Researchyourplants

Choosedrou httolerant lants

Gonative!

Considerhei ht bloomtime colorandoveralltexture

Chooseplantsthatbloomatdifferenttimestocreatelongerflowering season

Mixitu

Digplantholetwiceaswideastheplantplug

Nottoodee !

Mulch(2thick)

Water

Integratestone,ornamentalfences,trailsorgardenbenches

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Weedingfirst

two

years

Pruningasneeded

Leavedead

or

dormant

lants

standin

and

cut

back

in

s rin

Mowit!

Workinprogress addtoorshareyourplants

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BlueeyedGrass

Phlox

BeeBalm

SpicebushCanada

Wild

Rye

BottlebrushGrass

Butterflyweed

Joepye Weed

Coreopsis

Veronica SwitchgrassGoldenrodConeflower

GoldenSeal SolomonsSealBluestemgrass

Mountainlaurel

VirginiaWildRye

Hayscented

grass

CardinalFlower

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BerkeleyCounty

Judicial

Center Martinsburg,WVPlantedAugust2007Opequon CreekProjectTeam

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LocalGardens

Dorcas ElementarySchool MillCreekoftheSouthBranch PlantedApril2008incooperationwithlocalMasterGardeners

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AddaRainBarrelYour

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WaterConservationBenefits

Waterusageincreasesby30%insummer

Stormwater

Management

Raiseenvironmentalawareness!

TheyreFUN!

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WestVirginiaConservationAgency

304.538.7581

or

WVDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection

0 .822. 266