Maintenance Introduction RAIN GARDENSRAIN pull outthe entire plant,includingit under control.Weedsareeasiesttoremove Whenweeding, when soilismoist. Erosion control pruned. The KingCountyNoxiousWeed list(seeResourceList)canassistwith identifying weeds. a A ra water level will be more intermittent. water that the plants planted on the sides of the garden, where the on the bottom, in the depression of the garden will receive more zones are based on the amount of water the area may receive. Plants along the bottom and sides of the garden,called zones.The planting of water. The garden is bowl shaped with aspecific plants planted garden, usually with around rocks the opening to dissipate the influx same basic structure. There is an inlet pipe that brings water to the Rain gardens can look different from each other but all have the Rain garden structure of thepart city’s stormwater infrastructure and must be maintained in perpetuity. specific soil mix and a combination of plants, planted by zones. of The City Everett considers rain gardens a tobe lots, and other areas that don’t allow water to soak in. These gardens are shallow depressions, constructed with a Rain gardens are landscaped areas that collect, absorb and filterrain water runoff from roof tops, driveways, parking gardens Rain help redirect, slow down and disperse water more slowly with additional or rocks mulch. to pinpointtry the original source of the issue. Check where water is flowing into the garden and Use mulch to or rocks build up the area and redirect water flows. If an area continues to erode, rain garden, too much water may be flowing into the garden rapidly.too Check the rain garden for areas of exposed soil or sediment buildup. If erosion persists in the Weeding in nutrients as it decomposes. practice. Avoid using beauty bark sincecan it be dyed, has water repellent qualities and is low compaction from light foot traffic. Refreshing your mulch when you are done weeding is good a Mulching helps block weeds from sprouting on the soil surface, keeps soil moist and prevents A 3inch layer of medium bark-type mulch should be maintained. Mulching begins, check for leaf build up near inlet to ensure that water drains freely into the rain garden. Check the garden inlet for garbage and debris throughout the year. Before the rainy season removal Debris FLOW CONTROL rea tocoveranybarespots.Someraingardenplantsmayneed tobedeadhea STORMWATER STORMWATER TREATMENT in gardenshouldbeweeded3-5times ayea FACILITY

s roots.Itisimportanttogobackandfluffmulch around r tokeepinvasiveweeds andunwantedplants INFLOW make sure to ded orlightly PONDING DEPTH (6” - 12” typical) typical) -12” (6” BIORETENTION SOIL MIX TEMPORARY PONDING

SIDE SLOPE GRADUAL MULCH LAYER EXISTING SOIL OVERFLOW Troubleshooting Maintenance GARDENSRAIN

Water is backing up into downspout pipes or pipes look damaged or cracked. Water backing up into pipes Plants are dead dying, or look unhealthy. Vegetationcrowding is inlet or areas.overflow Unhealthy or dead vegetation sized to deal with the increase. specificrange of water inputs, but if your inputs are greatly increased, yourrain garden may not be properly soil up with small rake and cover with mulch. with no plants or mulch, or has alot of foot traffic, the soil compactedgets and water can’t penetrate it. Fluff Ponded water remains at bottom of garden for thanmore 3 days after the end ofa storm. water ponded of periods Extended environment. Please take plant out and replace. ends up in your local water ways. If aplant is not thriving, it may beaby-product of it’s The water that flows through yourrain garden is used to replenish ground water and eventually provides plenty of nutrients for your plants. NOTDo use fertilizers, herbicides pesticidesor on your garden. The rain garden soil mix NO chemical fertilizers,pesticides or herbicides upkeep and maintenance. large t ability to pond and can beasafety hazard to pedestrians and vehicle visibility. Prune or remove mulch away from the b while the new plant roots are e Spring and fall are replacements. Aseventy-five pe Reference thecity’ Plant replacement periods of drought. Year three and beyond: minimal to no water should be needed, except during prolonged Year two: water deeply every 1to 3weeks during periods dry Year one: water 2-3 times a week during seasons the dry develop the healthy and deep root structure needed for long-term drought resistance. twothe or first three years.Over watering or light/infrequent wateringcancause plants to not To ensure that plants get well established, they need deep watering during the drier months for Watering Occasionally certainplantsinthe newra Is there any leaf, debris or sediment buildup in the garden? Inletandoverflow areas needtobe keptclear.Cutbackorremove plants a wa raingarden types haszonesfor different ofplants.Additionallyplantsha toreference the RainGardenPlantListforWesternWA (see ResourceList)forsuitable replacements since importanttodiagnosing the It Clear pipes of sediment or debris with snake or flush with water. Are there any new, additional water inputs? Additionalgutters? Your original garden was sized to deal a with Soil at the bottom of garden should be relatively light to and fluffy maximize water infiltration. If area is left bare

Repair or seal cracks, or replace if repair is insufficient. isgoodtokeep ahealthycoverofplantsinthegarden soreplacingdeadordyingplantsisimportant.Besure rees and shrubs if they interfere with the o ter flow. t s RainGardenPlantListforWesternWA he be ase of woody stems. Overly dense vegetationcan affect the gardens st timesst to put in new plants. Remember to water more frequently stablishing. Maintain 3inch mulch in newly planted areas. Keep issue. rcent plant survival rate s

in ga rden willnotthrive andshouldbe peration of the garden or minimize a hould bemaintained in the g (see R esource List)forsuitable ve shade/sun tolerances that couldbe s they begintocrowdinareas repla ced. ccess for arden.

of a

RAIN GARDEN RESOURCES

Rain garden installation Western WA Rain Garden Handbook City of Everett Public Works https://tinyurl.com/RainGardenHandbook 3200 Cedar St. Everett WA 98201 W: everettwa.gov/raingardens Rain garden plants E: [email protected] Western WA Rain Garden Handbook, Appendix Inspection or maintenance questions? Contact Mike Papa, 425-257-8925 https://tinyurl.com/RainGardenHandbook

Rain Garden Plant List (Western WA Handbook) https://www.everettwa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/22876/Rain-garden-plant-list-PDF

Seattle Public Utility Rainwise Planting Plan https://eatyouryard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/RainWise-Planting-Plan.pdf

Rain garden maintenance Western WA Rain Garden Handbook, pg. 51 https://tinyurl.com/RainGardenHandbook

Stormwater Management Manual for Western WA, Volume V, Appendix A https://tinyurl.com/StormwaterManagementManual

King County Noxious Weed List https://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/water-and-land/weeds/WeedLists/2019-King-County-Noxious-Weed-List.pdf

Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Learn about other GSI programs in the city everettwa.gov/SurfaceStormwater