Rain Barrel & Rain Garden information

Are you interested in rain barrels or rain gardens?
What is a rain barrel? What is a rain garden?

To learn more, click on the links below.

More information about Rain barrels:
http://www.rainkc.com/home/index.asp
http://bridgingthegap.org/egap.php?id=133


General Costs of a Rain Barrel: (Found on website of Little Blue River Watershed Coalition http://www.littleblueriverwc.org)
• Blank Barrel--$20
• Barrel with top cut off and holes drilled for faucet and overflow--$40
• Barrel assembled--$75
• Barrel assembled and installed--$125
• Artistic rain barrels---$100-$125

Places to purchase a Rain Barrel:
http://www.rainkc.com/GARDENS/PURCHASE.ASP
Check Habitat for Humanity's ReStore (http://www.restorekc.org/) for 55-gallon, food-grade barrels that may be converted into rain barrels.

How to build your own Rain barrel:
http://www.marc.org/Environment/Water/buildrainbarrel.htm

Rain Garden information:
http://www.rainkc.com/GARDENS/INDEX.ASP

Local supplier for native flowers for a your Rain Garden:
Soil Service Garden Center
7130 Troost Ave Kansas City, MO 64131-1714
Phone: (816) 444-3403


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The Purpose of a Rain Barrel
Using rainwater will improve the condition of your garden or yard and is regularly available for free. The roofs of many houses in the Kansas City area receive 600 to 1,000 gallons of water with just an inch of rainfall. This rainwater hits the roof, flows to the gutters, and pours out of your downspouts into the driveway or yard. With an average of 37” of rainfall per year, tens of thousands of gallons of water could be harvested and used on your garden or lawn, reducing flooding of some rivers and water passages such as the Blue River and Brush Creek. Bridging The Gap offers workshops on how to make a simple rain barrel and harvest some of that water that is so good for your flowers and lawn.

Benefits of Rain Water Harvesting
• Brings first-rate water right to your garden. No chlorine, no calcium carbonate.
• Diverts water away from your house that might otherwise leak into the foundation and potentially case flooding.
• Cuts down on your city water consumption
• Demonstrates water conservation to neighbors, family, and friends.
• Keeps water right where it’s getting used, rather than sending it away to unnecessary treatment.



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Why do rain gardens matter?
The biggest cause of pollution in rivers (the source of our drinking water) is non-point source pollution. That's runoff from streets and lawns that carry pesticides, fertilizers, and oil from the storm drains to the streams. Every drop of rain that you keep on your property helps to keep our drinking water less polluted. Every drop matters. Every drop counts.