You know that old saying “when it rains, it pours?” That is true, but it’s what comes next that’s the tricky part. When excess rain isn’t properly diverted, it can become quite a big problem for your yard and home.
Here are our top five ways to manage stormwater runoff from our team at The Rhino Gutter Company.
What is Stormwater Runoff?
Stormwater runoff occurs after rainfall and flows over impervious (impenetrable) surfaces like driveways, streets, parking lots, and sidewalks and is unable to percolate or seep into the ground.
This water can cause damage to landscaping, sidewalks, and driveways before it reaches neighborhood streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, and oceans before eventually making its way into the groundwater.
Why is Stormwater Runoff a Problem?
If not properly managed, stormwater can flood and damage homes and businesses, flood septic system drain fields, cause erosion, and damage wildlife habitats.
Uncontrolled stormwater runoff has many impacts on humans and the environment including:
- Flooding and damage to public or private property
- Erosion
- Widened stream channels
- Dirty water, trash, debris, and foul odors
- Damage to fish and aquatic life habitats
The damage caused by excess stormwater is difficult and costly to clean up.
Managing Stormwater
Follow these tips to manage stormwater at home to help protect the overall environment.
#1. Slow Stormwater Runoff
By slowing down stormwater runoff, you can help prevent landscape erosion and downstream flooding. To do so, you need to identify the areas around your property where large amounts of rainwater and runoff accumulate.
This is where a gutter system with downspouts located in appropriate areas can be greatly beneficial. Make sure to divert rainwater to areas where there is a lowered risk of downstream flooding and have downspouts installed in those areas. You can even have downspout extensions installed to help divert rainwater where you want it to go.
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#2. Distribute Runoff
Apart from slowing down water runoff with a gutter system, you should also endeavor to spread it out evenly. Find out where rainwater runoff allows along your roof, patio, or driveway, and take note of where it usually ends up. Once you have identified them, you can now take steps to evenly distribute runoff.
The bare ground has an impervious surface, which means it can shed water runoff quickly. Covering these areas with stones, mulch, or wood chips can help you slow down runoff and spread it out. These elements can effectively break up rushing water.
#3. Build a Rain Garden
Rain gardens are shallow sunken areas where you can plant plants that can help collect stormwater runoff. Also called Bioretention cells, rain gardens can collect runoff water before it absorbs into the ground, helping to reduce stormwater pollution from entering nearby storm drains or waterways.
Rain gardens are an eco-friendly way to mitigate flooding from stormwater runoff.
#4. Collect water in Rain Barrels
As the name suggests, rain barrels collect rain directly from your downspouts. By capturing rainwater, it avoids flooding into streams and rivers. The water that is captured can be used to hydrate your garden, landscaping, or turfgrass.
#5. Plant More Landscaping and Vegetation
Plants not only filter water through their root systems, but the roots grab the soil and hold it in place. Therefore, it is important to have ground cover to help lessen runoff and erosion.
Native plants are ideal ground cover due to their familiarity with the local habitat and can survive with minimal upkeep.
Manage Stormwater Runoff with The Rhino
If you need help managing Tampa Bay’s rain season and subsequent stormwater runoff, call on our team at The Rhino Gutter Company for a gutter consultation. We can install a new seamless gutter system and help you divert rainwater to the areas that you want it to go, preventing flooding, damage, and costly repairs.
Ready to get started? Call The Rhino Gutter Company for a quote today at (888) 407-4466!
