Do It Yourself
Homeowners - Rein in the rain by installing your own rain garden or rain barrel.
Homeowners can reduce their own contribution to urban runoff by installing a rain garden or rain barrel. Here's some helpful information for do it yourself-ers.
Rain Gardens
A rain garden is a shallow, landscaped depression where you can direct runoff from your roof, driveway and other impervious surfaces on your property. It can then soak into the ground naturally rather than running off into storm drains.
Rain gardens are becoming very popular because they:
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Are planted with beautiful, hardy, low-maintenance and drought tolerant plants.
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Are an easy way for all of us to do our part to protect our streams and rivers.
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Provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and beneficial insects.
Want to learn more about building rain gardens? Download the new Oregon Rain Garden Guide. [14 MB PDF].
Rainwater Harvesting
- Robert Coffan shows off his new rain barrel. Click to view larger image.
Rainwater harvesting is a stormwater management and water conservation strategy that is under-utilized in the Northwest. Systems vary from simple rain barrels to cisterns capable of storing tens of thousands of gallons. When deciding what size system to install, keep in mind that in many parts of Oregon,we have a rainy season and a dry season, so larger collection devices will be able to collect enough water in the rainy season to provide what you need in the dry season. Small systems like rain barrels are an easy way to get started and give rainwater harvesting a try. Check out this detailed guide to building a simple rain barrel.
Do I need a permit?
If you are simply building a rain barrel and using the water for outdoor irrigation, no permit is required. According to Oregon water law, you have the right to use the water that falls on your rooftop. If you want to put in a large cistern upwards of 5,000 gallons, you may need to get a building or plumbing permit from your city or county to ensure that the system will be placed on stable soil and that its weight will not cause structural damage to foundations. Rainwater harvested for potable uses must be treated to drinking water standards, and a special permit may be required to use rainwater indoors.
Is rainwater harvesting a good idea?
Rainwater harvesting reduces stress on surface waters and groundwater by providing an alternative water source for human uses, and it mitigates high urban runoff volumes. If rainwater were harvested on a massive scale it could conceivably alter the natural hydrology of a watershed, but at currently feasible levels of adoption rainwater harvesting is beneficial to water supplies and natural systems.
Resources
Rain barrel installation guide (from Portland Purple Water)
How to install a rain barrel (from City of Portland)
Portland Office of Sustainable Development's Rainwater Harvesting Page
