Rainscaping Story Map
Check out our interactive story map citing examples of green infrastructure and their benefit on urban water quality in St. Louis and on reducing the burden of stormwater on our sewer system!
The St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District has provided grants for small and large-scale rainscaping, rain gardens, and rain barrel projects throughout the city. The City of St. Louis, MSD, East-West Gateway, and others are working to promote green infrastructure and urban renewal throughout the city and metro area. For more information on GI work in St. Louis, visit the City of St. Louis’ Urban Vitality website here.
Rainscaping and Rain Gardens
A feasible and innovative way to collect the rainwater and beautify your garden at the same time is to build a rain garden! As an important and versatile tool towards stormwater management, a rain garden is a landscaped site that collects, absorbs, and filters stormwater runoff from roof tops, driveways, patios, and other hard surfaces that don’t allow water to soak in.
Below is a diagram showing how a residential rain garden works in your yard. A rain garden starts with a bowl-shaped bed of loose soil with plantations of deep-rooted trees, bushes, flowers and other plants that help absorb the rainwater. The plants serve as filters through layers of soil before the rain water enters the groundwater system or the stormwater system through the underdrain. Your rain garden is your personal contribution to cleaner water!
If you are interested in building a rain garden in your yard or neighborhood, check out the resources below:
-
Funding
The average cost of building a residential rain garden is $630 with 74 hours of labor. The Metropolitan Sewer District’s Project Clear has funds available for citizens to build their own rain gardens. Although their grant application period has expired, visit the Deer Creek Watershed Alliance’s website to see examples of how this watershed group funded numerous rainscaping projects in St. Louis in the last 3 years.
-
Design & Construction
-
Showcase
MCE, Missouri Botanical Garden, and ShowMe Rain Gardens, a local initiative comprised of the Soil & Water Conserviation District of St. Louis County, MSD, and others, all want to promote rain gardens in St. Louis and throughout the ShowMe state. Share your rain garden journey with others!- Visit showmeraingardens.org to present your own rain garden to the community
- Visit deercreekalliance.org to see rain garden demo projects along the Deer Creek Watershed
- Or, simply contact us if you want your rain garden on our map on this webpage