Stormwater and Rain Gardens 

Nearshore Living

We live on an evergreen covered island, surrounded by the Salish Sea, and it's pretty great. Orcas swim by, herons stand patiently waiting for fish, clams and mussels hide in the sand until our shovels dig them up. We eat and recreate in the ocean, lakes, and rivers. We get our drinking water from underground aquifers and nearby rivers. And we share our world with many other creatures who call the oceans and rivers their home. 

As island residents, we live on the nearshore - that magical place where land meets ocean. It's our responsibility to be good stewards of our place and Whidbey Island Conservation District is here to help! We have information, resources, and staff to help you take action to preserve and protect the vital natural resource that is our water.

Let's Talk About Stormwater

Stormwater is the name we use for rain and snow when it hits the ground. In a natural system, this water would fall on plants and healthy soil. The plants would absorb some of the water and the soil would retain and filter some of the water to be released slowly into waterways. Some of the water would make a long journey down to refresh our underground aquifers, which is where most Whidbey residents get their drinking water. But in our human developments, there's a lot of surface area that can't absorb water (impermeable surfaces), such as streets, parking areas, sports fields, gravel lots, rooftops, and driveways. What happens to that stormwater?

Click Image to Enlarge

Stormwater Run-off

Stormwater run-off is rain that falls on impermeable surfaces and, since it can't be absorbed by these surfaces, it flows directly into nearby lakes, rivers and Puget Sound. For us islanders who live on the near-shore, the ocean is never far away, and our stormwater run-off flows into it with few opportunities to be caught and filtered. Everything that sits on our roofs, driveways, sidewalks, and streets is in danger of being picked up by stormwater run-off and carried to the ocean along with the water. As landowners, our job is to keep impermeable surfaces free of pollutants, fecal bacteria, and garden chemicals so that these pollutants don't build up in our waterways and poison them.

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Is Your Rain Garden Working?

Interested in learning more about what a working rain garden is, and what it should look like? Watch this recorded webinar from WICD and Snohomish Conservation District to learn about the Rain Garden and Bioretention Assessment Protocols. This class will help you understand whether your rain garden is functioning as intended, or whether you may need to do some maintenance.

Rain Garden & Bioretention Assessment Protocol Resources: 

• RGBAP Factsheet
• RGBAP Instructions
• RGBAP Electronic Form
• RGBAP Print Form
• RGBAP Supplemental Handouts

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Other Resources

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How You can Help

There are lots of actions you can take at home and in your community to keep stormwater free of pollutants and benefit the environment. Below are resources to get started. More resources can be found on the main Water Management page and the Backyards page. You can also subscribe to our Youtube channel for videos on conservation practices.

Clean up Pollutants

Every surface on your property that is hit by rain can contribute to pollutants in stormwater run-off. Here's a some actions to take around the house::

• Clean up and cover chemicals - oil, paint, and antifreeze containers, leaky storage bins, tobacco spit, and any other substances that are outside, exposed to the elements, and that you wouldn't want in your drinking water
• Cover vehicles and equipment - cars and lawn mowers can leach heavy metals into stormwater as they age and deteriorate
• Fix vehicle oil and coolant leaks
• Wash cars and boats in commercial car washes or on the lawn so that the soil can soak up some of the water, and use biodegradable soaps that won't leave behind chemical residue
• Find more suggestions here and here.

Remove Impervious Surfaces

One great action to take to improve stormwater is to remove some of the impervious surfaces on your property. 

• Remove cement areas that could be gravel, garden beds, lawn or ground cover with stepping stones.
• Install permeable surface material. 
• Remove some of your lawn! Try a hedgerow, green space, pollinator garden, or wildflower meadow instead.
• Read about some pavement removal projects here and here.

Keep Fecal Bacteria Contained

That's right, we mean poop. You, your family, your pets, your backyard chickens, and your livestock all make waste that contains fecal bacteria. This type of bacteria is easily picked up by stormwater and taken to the waterways in which we swim, play, eat, and drink. Yuck! 

• Pick up dog poop. Get inspired by the award winning PoopSmart.org.
• Livestock manure should be composted in a covered facility, preferably with an impermeable floor so bacteria doesn't have a chance to leak into the ground. WICD has manure management resources on our Farm & Ag page.
• Most residents of Island County have a small waste water treatment plant buried in their yard - a septic system. It's estimated that only 25% of those septic systems are in compliance for inspection and maintenance. Visit here to find information on maintaining your septic system.

Make Green Consumer Choices

• Choose to bike more, carpool more, and take public transportation. Vehicle use spreads oil, coolant, and heavy metals across impervious road surfaces that then flows into the ocean.
• Choose recyclable and reusable products and packing whenever possible, and avoid single use plastics. Get tips on the 3 Rs here.
• Buy local - locally made products travel shorter distances to reach you, and local businesses have more incentive to protect the environment because they live in it too.

Practice Natural Yard Care

Up to 65% of the fertilizer and herbicide we put on our lawns is washed into waterways by stormwater. That is a huge amount of money and time washed away in the rain! There are many ways to reduce chemical use in the garden.

• The Natural Yard Care guide has easy to practice tips on going natural in your garden and lawn.
• Integrated Pest Management has strategies for dealing with pests in the garden.
• Native plants are well adapted to our soil and climate, and need less maintenance. Learn more here.
• Choosing the right plant for the right place is a good strategy too. Learn more here.
• Garden with a Purpose takes you through all the considerations for creating a yard that benefits the environment.

            

Slow the Flow

​Redirect your gutters and downspouts into rain barrels, rain gardens, or bioswales. Not only does this reduce stormwater run-off, it allows you to capture water for garden use or water a rain garden of beautiful plants.

• Install a Rain Barrel instructions here.
• Rain Gardens are a beautiful way to slow stormwater run-off. Learn more here.
• It's important to maintain your rain garden so that it works properly when you need it. Get maintenance tips here.
• Rain barrels plus raised beds = Rain Beds! Learn how to build one here.
• Rainwise Stormwater Solutions Guide goes through all your options for reducing your stormwater run-off.

​This page has been updated as part of the Island County Stormwater Assistance & Outreach Network project through a Department of Ecology Near Term Action grant. The project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 01J18101 to Department of Ecology. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.