Rain Gardens

A rain garden is a specially built garden that can soak up runoff on site and help clean our water. It can collect, absorb and filter stormwater runoff from roofs, driveways, parking lots and other hard surfaces.

What are the benefits?

• Reduce flooding
• Remove pollutants
• Replenish groundwater
• Provide native plant habitat for wildlife

Rain gardens can be sized to fit in many locations, including in yards (click here) and near streets or parking lots (click here).

Cost Share Program
Residents in unincorporated Kitsap County can receive up to $500 to install a rain garden in your yard, as well as technical assistance visits from Kitsap Conservation District trained staff. To learn more, contact Teresa Brooks at the Conservation District: (360) 337-7171 and t-brooks@conservewa.net or visit www.kitsapcd.org.

Learn more about rain gardens:

• Rain Garden Handbook for West Washington Homeowners
   
• Rain Garden Plant Guide
     
• Rain Garden Brochure
     
• Rain Garden Site Constraints Fact Sheet
      
• Rain Garden Newsletter, Kitsap Conservation District
  
  
• Brookwood Green Street-Brookwood Lane in Central Kitsap is
  Kitsap County's first Green Street

Animations and Videos

• Rain garden installation video (29 minutes), Washington State University Extension:  click here

• Rain garden animation, University of Nebraska:  click here

Newspaper Articles

• Kitsap Sun, August 19, 2010: “Kitsap Conservation District Helps Gardeners Put Run-off to Work”
     
• Port Orchard Independent, August 12, 2010: “County Letting Its Rain Garden Program Soak In”

Other Resources

• WSU Kitsap County Extension – Puget Sound Rain Gardens  
        
• Kitsap LID

Kitsap County Public Works                                                                                      Updated: 02/22/2012
Surface & Stormwater Management Program
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
Kitsap1@co.kitsap.wa.us