Rain Garden/Rock Garden
When it rains, the water that comes off rooftops, lawns, and driveways drains into the stormwater system and eventually ends up in a nearby river, lake or stream. Along the way, runoff can pick up pesticides, fertilizers, pet waste and other pollutants which end up harming local water bodies. Rain gardens are great for reducing runoff, as well as for using rainwater to irrigate your plants.
Rain gardens help prevent this pollution from reaching water bodies by temporarily storing runoff and allowing the water to infiltrate into the ground (usually within 24 hours). During this time, pollutants are filtered out naturally by the compost, soil and plant roots.
Rain Barrel
Up until 2016, rain barrels were illegal in Colorado due to Colorado’s “Prior Appropriation” doctrine. Rain barrels were thought to take water away from water rights holders downstream, but a recent study by the Colorado Stormwater Center showed that rain barrels have no effect on downstream users. In response to this, Colorado passed Hb 16-1005. Now, most Colorado homeowners are allowed to use rain barrels to collect rainwater, which is a great tool for sustainable landscaping!