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An investigation into rain gardens

University of British Columbia. Sustainability Office

Rain gardens are a relatively simple way to dispose of stormwater runoff. 70% of all water pollution is caused by stormwater runoff, which can be effectively managed using a rain garden. A detailed explanation on the construction of a rain garden is included in this report. This includes all considerations that should be taken – area, location, and other design details. A soil-survey must be done before the construction of the rain garden. The type of soil found will partially determine the cost of the project. Soil with high infiltration would cost less to construct on then low infiltration soil. If the soil is completely unsuitable, new soil must be brought in locally, which would increase both the economic and environmental costs. An estimate of the cost is $11-30 per cubic meter of soil. As for maintenance, litter and debris must be cleaned monthly, dead vegetation replaced bi-annually, and re-mulch annually/as needed. Given its benefits, the cost of a rain garden is low compared to other stormwater runoff solutions. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Text

University of British Columbia. APSC 262; UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0108336

Applied Science, Faculty of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/