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Sustainability in the Landscape: Stormwater Management

In light of recent events, I probably should have started this series on Sustainability in the Landscape on this subject!


Stormwater management is not really something most homeowners are thinking about until they have water in the basement or a pond of water in the back yard that wasn't there before. Those things are happening more frequently because are storms are getting more extreme, and our existing infrastructure can no longer handle it.


At my home, my standard 4" gutters are just not big enough anymore to handle the volume of rainwater coming off my roof. My rain barrels fill up immediately and overflow. Rainwater continually washes sediment off my hillside and down the sidewalk. And I had a bit of ponding near the foundation where the gutters overflow that I had to solve by bringing in more topsoil to improve drainage away from the house. Those are minor issues compared to what some people are dealing with, and what is to come in the near future.


Flooding issues are in the news all the time. The extreme rain events are compounded by what we have done to the soil. We have created so much impermeable surface, that there is nowhere for the water to go. All that open land and plants that used to absorb rain like a sponge don't exist any longer. Rain falls on roofs, streets, sidewalks, patios, etc. and goes into our stormwater sewer systems, streams, and rivers. Even the compacted soil under our lawns contributes to the problem, as it cannot absorb much water, either (30-70%).


A second issue with stormwater runoff is pollution. Fertilizers (both agricultural and residential) are the primary contributors to pollution in our waterways. Also, oils and other chemicals from vehicles wash off roads, parking lots, and driveways along with salts and de-icing solutions. A few more things washing into our waterways: pet waste, soaps from washing cars, heavy metals, and litter. That's where our drinking water comes from.


Cities are starting to demand that commercial buildings install green roofs as part of their stormwater management plans. Washington D.C. has mandated that all new buildings except single-family homes have a green roof. Locally, Lancaster has a serious green infrastructure initiative that includes the private sector in its attempt to meet EPA stormwater mandates. This includes incentives to install stormwater management retrofits, as well as regulations for new builds and additions to keep stormwater on site. These types of ordinances will become more and more common for all of us in the future. But it shouldn't take regulations for us to all do the right thing.


In the future (I would say now, actually), all residential buildings including single family homes will need a stormwater management plan. We can't all continue to contribute to the flooding issues locally or downstream from our homes. We can't continue to pollute our local waterways or those downstream from us. Here in South Central PA, we are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. That means all our stormwater along with our lawn fertilizer and other pollutant runoff goes all the way from our landscapes to the Chesapeake Bay. Or it can be absorbed where it lands.



We don't all need to install a green roof (but if yours is flat, maybe think about it?), but here is a list of things you can consider retrofitting into your landscape or installing from the beginning in a new build:


  • Patios, paths, and even driveways can be built from permeable materials which allow water to pass through into the soil such as open brick or pavers, stone, or gravel; some municipalities may even give you a credit on your water bill for installations like these and they add value to your home

  • Downspouts can be directed into rain barrels, rain gardens, bioswales, and even dry wells that allow water to more slowly penetrate into the soil rather than run off (installed properly to protect the foundation of your home); consider installing 6" gutters to handle heavier storm events

  • Don't allow your builder to default to giving you subsoil with a tiny trace of topsoil on top. Plants can't grow in subsoil, which has no organic matter. Get a solid landscape and soil plan in place before equipment touches that land. Get it in the budget up front and don't compromise. Every 1% increase in soil organic matter improves the soil's capacity for holding water by 20,000 gallons per acre. Really. Check out this serious residential foundation soil remediation video from Green Jay Landscape Design

  • Replace or forgo the lawn and plant ground covers and other plants that allow the soil to build organic matter and become more absorbent over time; manage your landscape ecologically and sustainably

  • Improve your soil's water holding capacity by improving the soil - add a bit of compost and/or biochar, retain all your leaves on site, don't do a fall "cleanup", partially chop those perennials back in spring and leave the debris in the garden.

  • Avoid using lawn chemicals altogether or use as sparingly as possible. Top dressing with compost, cutting no shorter than 4", and allowing the clover to grow can do a lot to keep that lawn healthy.

  • In particularly damp areas that retain water, especially around foundations, install plants that prefer those conditions and absorb excess water through their roots (some wet basement situations can be solved with the right plants!)

  • Encourage your HOA to adopt more ecological and sustainable practices in public areas including updated dry retention pond and bioswales systems by installing native plants, planting unused greenspaces with meadows or other plantings instead of lawns, and changing their regulations to allow for more ecologically friendly plantings around your home. Greening your HOA / Maryland Couple Changes State HOA Law

  • When replacing or installing a new roof, consider alternate materials -- traditional asphalt shingles leach heavy metals and metal roofing has an extremely high embodied energy rating; see alternatives here


Are you having problems with stormwater at your home?


Can you make a few of these changes to make your landscape more sustainable?


Need some help implementing a stormwater management solution into your landscape? Reach out today!


Are you a landscaper looking to expand your business to include specialized stormwater management systems and Maintenace? We need you! The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council offers training programs for designers and crews!

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