Jim Hafner, Blaine’s storm water manager, says too much rain goes down city storm drains. Rain and snowmelt flow off surfaces like roofs and roads, sweeping salt, sand, fertilizer and other contaminants into storm drains – which take the water to creeks, rivers and lakes.
Though the Blaine City Council is contemplating an ordinance to promote the creation of rain gardens to catch runoff, Jim Hafner has already installed one in his own yard, at 12309 Goodhue St. NE, in Blaine. The demonstration rain garden is meant to appeal to and educate neighbors and other interested people.
“Storm water is the No. 1 polluter of our surface waters. I don’t think we can be that cavalier about it. It is either naive or arrogant to think that our water resource is always going to be there for us.”
Rain gardens are depressed garden plots planted with native plants that capture runoff and get the water back into the ground where it is needed. They are becoming popular landscaping alternatives that aesthetically brighten yards and provide much needed assistance to managing stormwater.
Blaine residents who are willing to take street runoff may soon be able to get help to create rain gardens. The council is considering providing aid and materials to residents for rain gardens built in the city’s right of way between residents’ yards and the streets.
What is one of the best parts of having a rain garden? There is less need to water the lawn and garden surrounding it.
“I don’t think people think about capturing water to reduce the amount they have to put on the yard themselves,” Hafner said. “The missing link in creating a rain garden is if you catch the flow, it will look nice and also save money.”
Hafner will teach a water conservation/rain gardening classes on May 8, with a deadline to register on April 30. The cost is $5 to attend. To register, go to www.blaineparks.com, click registration and search for stormwater.
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