Nature-based Solutions for Reducing Rainfall Runoff

Rain barrels are large barrels used to capture stormwater running off your rooftop. Capturing water in a rain barrel can help to slow water flow over your property during heavy rain events. The water in a rain barrel can then be used to water your plants and gardens. Because water in a rain barrel has run across a roof surface where it could pick up contamination from shingles and bird droppings, it should never be used for drinking water, human or pet, and may not be appropriate for watering vegetable crops.   Here are a few resources for more information:

US EPA Soak Up the Rain: Rain Barrels

Rain Barrels and Other Water Conservation Tools, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Rain Barrel Do-it-Yourself Fact Sheet, New Hampshire Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Management, Do-It-Yourself Stormwater Solutions For Your Home, Soak Up the Rain New Hampshire, November 2019

Letting the runoff soak in, rather than go into your driveway or the street, replaces the groundwater that keeps streams flowing during dry times. On hot summer days, rain gardens also cool runoff from dark pavement by putting it into the ground. A constant supply of cool, clean groundwater is essential to the health of stream and pond life.

Rain gardens are planted with flowers, shrubs, trees and grasses that are easy-to-maintain and thrive without fertilizers and pesticides. There is an array of colorful plants that can be obtained at garden centers and home improvement stores, which will provide food and habitat for wildlife.

View MA Watershed Coalition’s Rain Garden Guide

MA Coastal Zone Management Reducing Impervious Surfaces Fact Sheet

NH Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Management: Pervious Walkways and Patios

MA Clean Water Toolkit: Permeable Paving

In most yards, you’re likely to be managing soils in two main areas– your lawn and your gardens. A first step is to learn more about your soil. The UMass-Amherst Extension Service  and the UNH Extension Service  both offer soil testing. Soil testing that can help you understand the types of soil in your yard, and if certain amendments (such as lime, gypsum, vermiculite) can improve your overall soil health and absorbency. 

Absorbency in garden soils can be improved by adding compost and other organic matter, by reducing tillage through no till practices, and by mulching. To improve soil absorbency in your lawn, consider mowing at a higher height. Root depth tends to mimic lawn height– the deeper your turf’s roots, the more absorbent your lawn will be. Consider aerating your lawn to reduce compaction of the soil caused by foot and equipment traffic. This can be accomplished simply with a pitchfork, used to poke holes into the soil, or use of a powered aerator. In any space in your yard, avoid unvegetated soil by planting simple groundcovers and spreading mulch.

Healthy Soils Report: Fitchburg-NRWA Watershed-Wide Nature-based Solutions Project

UMass-Amherst Extension Service- Home Lawn and Garden Resources

UNH Extension Service- Yard & Garden Resources

Take a look at your yard or property. Do you have unused or unneeded sections of lawn? Lawn grass, or turf, has very poor value for wildlife habitat. These underutilized grass areas can be converted into meadow, a high value ecosystem for many varieties of wildlife. Along with attracting pollinators, butterflies and birds, you can enjoy beautiful flowers spring to fall, and minimal maintenance.  No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed– and generally meadow only needs to be mowed once a year!  Meadow also develops deeper root systems than lawn grass, which means it absorbs more water during heavy rains, and will be more tolerant of dry spells.  You can start with a small area and enlarge it if you choose. Existing grass can be removed with a spade, or smothered by covering the area with cardboard, thick mulch, or black plastic. Once the grass is gone, you can plant meadow plants and wildflower seeds, then watch your meadow come to life.

“Imagine waking up to a choir of birds singing, bees buzzing, and butterflies fluttering about!” says, Pepperell resident Deb Fountain, who turned her turf lawn into islands of native wildflowers, and even a meadow- photo above. “I started by converting small patches around my yard to native plants adapted to my soil, and over the years, it gave me such pleasure, that I couldn’t stop!”

For the lawn you do choose to keep, review our Guidelines for Turf Management for tips on how to improve your soil health to increase water absorption and help your yard to be more climate resilient.