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Rain Gardens for Snohomish County

Snohomish County Rain Garden Coalition

Goal: 1,000 Rain Gardens By 2016

Rain Garden Counter

Upcoming Natural Yard Care Workshops

The workshop series is scheduled in the evening on April 9, 17, 24 and May 1.  The series is kicked off with an overview of Natural Yard Care by Ciscoe Morris the first evening. The subsequent workshops are presented by Master Gardeners and go more in depth into Natural Yard Care techniques. May 1 is the drip irrigation workshop by irrigation specialist Jeff Thompson.  In addition, there is a tour of the north Everett rain gardens on May 4, 10 - 11:30am. The workshops are sponsored by the City of Everett, WSU Extension and the Snohomish Conservation District. For more information, e-mail MGhelp@wsu.edu or call 425-357-6010.

Rain Gardens Work in Snohomish County

Snohomish County supports nearly 700,000 residents and continues to grow on a fast track. As we have lost native forests and replaced them with solid surfaces and stormwater sewers, water infiltration has decreased while surface water runoff has increased. The runoff has increased the severity of flooding and swept containments from our homes and streets directly into streams. Rain gardens give us the ability to mimic nature by increasing infiltration of stormwater that comes off our roofs, driveways and landscapes. This helps protect Puget Sound.

What is a rain garden?

Rain Gardens are simply shallow depressions that:

• Can be shaped and sized to fit your yard
• Are constructed with soil mixes that allow water to soak in rapidly and support healthy plant growth
• Can be landscaped with a variety of plants to fit the surroundings

See the Rain Garden video.

(Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners, Curtis Hinman, Washington State University)

Low Impact Development

Rain gardens are one of the most versatile and effective tools in a new approach to managing stormwater called Low Impact Development (LID). A LID project may incorporate several tools to soak up rain water, reduce stormwater runoff, and filter pollutants. Examples of these tools are permeable paving, compost-amended soils, vegetated roofs, rain water collection systems, and rain gardens.

(Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners, Curtis Hinman, Washington State University)

Rain Garden Coalition

The Snohomish County Rain Garden Coalition and the Sustainable Development Task Force coordinate education and training for the public and professionals in the County. As you see in this website, we have combined our expertise and resources to help homeowners and businesses create successful rain gardens. Check out the resources assembled for your use on the homeowner and professional resources pages. More about the Rain Garden Coalition members is below.

WSU Master Gardener Rain Garden Program
Snohomish County

Master Gardeners are Washington State University trained volunteers providing Snohomish County residents with research-based information on issues related to home gardens. A select group of Masters Gardeners have had an advanced training on rain gardens including a hands-on building workshop. Rain garden services offered include:

• Rain garden classes
• On-site mentoring team
• Rain garden advice through clinics, special events and a speakers bureau
• WSU Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners
• Referrals to professional designers and installers

Contact a Master Gardener:

E-Mail: mg.help@wsu.edu
Phone: 425-357-6010
Address: 600 128th St. SE, Everett, WA 98208

WSU Shore Stewards and Beach Watcher Programs
Snohomish County

WSU Beach Watchers are trained WSU volunteers leading education, rehabilitation and monitoring projects along shorelines of Puget Sound. The Shore Stewards Program works with shoreline property owners on stewardship methods that protect their shoreline resources. To learn more:

E-Mail: chrys@wsu.edu
Phone: 425-330-2400
Address: 600 128th St. SE, Everett, WA 98208
Website: www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu

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Snohomish Conservation District

The Snohomish Conservation District’s mission is to help area residents manage natural resources for the future. SCD (a political sub-division of state government) has been working with farmers and landowners since 1941. District boundaries include Camano Island (added in 1961) and most of Snohomish County. The District offers classes and workshops, engineering assistance, farm planning, stream and wetland restoration, volunteer opportunities, model farm tours, an annual conservation plant sale, educational opportunities, and student internships.

Rain Garden Contact: Stacy Smith
Phone: 425-335-5634, ext 102;
E-Mail: stacy@snohomishcd.org
Address: 528 – 91st Ave NE, Suite A, Lake Stevens, WA 98258
Website: www.snohomishcd.org

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Snohomish County Surface Water Management

The Surface Water Management Division provides a comprehensive approach to managing surface water in order to respect and preserve the county's streams, lakes and other waterbodies. Its main activities are to 1) protect water quality; 2) control, accommodate and discharge storm runoff; 3) provide for groundwater recharge; 4) control sediment and stabilize streamside and lakeshore erosion; 5) monitor water quality and quantity; and 6) rehabilitate stream and drainage corridors for hydraulics, aesthetics, and fisheries benefits. The Division provides technical advice to landowners in unincorporated areas of Snohomish County on a variety of issues and topics related to managing surface water on-site, including rain gardens, and managing streamside and shoreline properties.

Phone: 425-388-6497
Address: 3000 Rockefeller Ave, Everett, WA 98201
Website: www.surfacewater.info

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Washington Native Plant Society

The Washington Native Plant Society is a forum for individuals who share a common interest in Washington’s unique and diverse plant life. For more than 30 years, WNPS has been a great source for native plant information and action, has long supported the protection of rare plant species, and has financially supported numerous plant-oriented research projects. Its Native Plant Stewardship Program offers training in the importance and use of native plants in restoration and landscaping. In return for the training, Native Plant Stewards volunteer on community education, habitat protection and habitat restoration efforts.

E-mail: wnps@wnps.org
Phone: 206-527-3210 or 1-888-288-8022
Address: 6310 NE 74th Street, Suite 215E, Seattle, WA 98115
Website: www.wnps.org

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Adopt-A-Stream Foundation

The mission of the Adopt A Stream Foundation (AASF) is to teach people how to become stewards of their watersheds. That mission is carried out by producing environmental education materials, conducting Streamkeeper Academy™ classes for all ages, and providing local communities with stream and wetland restoration technical assistance. Currently, AASF ecologists and technicians are surveying local streams to identify fish and wildlife habitat degradation and water pollution problems, designing solutions, and working with land owners to find resources for corrective actions that have included installing native plant landscapes in place of lawns, restoring wetlands from parking lots, stabilizing stream banks using “bio-engineered” techniques, building fish ladders, and creating new in-stream fish habitat.

Contact: 425-316-8592, tomm@streamkeeper.org
Address: Northwest Stream Center, 600 – 128th Street SE, Everett, WA 98208
Website: www.streamkeeper.org

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Snohomish County Sustainable Development Task Force

The mission of the Sustainable Development Task Force is to educate the community and its governing bodies about the benefits of sustainable building, and assist in the development and adoption of a plan to promote and utilize sustainable planning, design, and construction in Snohomish County. Established in 2002, the Task Force is dedicated to facilitating the adoption of sustainable development strategies and the construction of green building projects throughout the County. The Task Force is a public/private partnership comprised of members from the architectural, building, and development communities, county government, local governments, and the PUD.

Rain Garden Contact: Zsofia Pasztor, 425-512-8206
E-Mail: frogonalogparks@msn.com
Address: c/o Snohomish County PUD, 2320 California Street/PO Box 1107, Everett, WA 98206
Website: www.sustainablesnohomishcounty.org

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