Ideas
Manage Your
Stormwater
Gardens can reduce water pollution
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that when a storm hits an
urban area such as San Diego, 55 percent of stormwater runs off landscapes and
impervious surfaces and into storm drains, creeks and rivers. It carries pesticides
and fertilizers from landscapes, bacteria from animal waste, and oil, chemicals and
heavy metals from streets and parking lots. These pollutants then flow into Mission
Bay, Moonlight Beach and other popular recreation points along the coast.
That's why San Diego and other cities across the country are adopting low-impact
development practices for public and commercial landscapes. These landscapes
capture stormwater where it falls for irrigation and groundwater recharge.
Whether you are a city stormwater manager or a homeowner, the techniques of
stormwater harvesting are easy to do, affordable and focused on slowing it, sinking it
and storing it. Rainwater is free, irrigating with it reduces demand for imported
water, and you'll be protecting San Diego's watersheds and beaches.
Create Berms and Basins
Create basins about 12 inches deep to capture the runoff from your roof and sidewalk.
If your city approves, install curb cuts to capture runoff from the street, too. Plant
shrubs and perennials in basins and the roots will extract pollutants out of the water
as it percolates through the soil.
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