Rain Barrels: Harvesting the Heavens Saving Streams
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Rain Barrels: Harvesting the Heavens
Saving Streams
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A cooperative project of Greenbelt Homes, Inc. and the City of Greenbelt
Woodlands Committee, and Sustainable Design and Practices Committee
Greenbelt Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability (Green ACES)
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What you will learn
What are rain barrels Why are they important Where to order a barrel How to install and maintain a
barrel Other cool stream saving practices
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What is a Watershed?
A watershed is the area of land that drainsto a particular point along a stream
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Hydrologic Cycle
*Impervious cover produces *Impervious cover produces 16 times16 times more more stormwater runoff than forest.stormwater runoff than forest.
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Stream Quality Is Related to Impervious Cover
< 5%< 5% Impervious CoverImpervious Cover
8-108-10%
2020%
30%30%> 65%> 65%
From Center for Watershed Protection
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10% 40%25%
Good
Fair
Poor
Watershed Impervious Cover
Str
eam
Qu
alit
y
60% 100%
Sen
siti
ve
Imp
acte
d
Damaged
Impervious Cover Model
Severely Damaged
Center for Watershed Protection
Relationship Between Impervious Cover and Stream
Quality
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Pollutants and Problems
Nutrients Sediment
Trash Heavy metals (ex. Zinc,
copper, lead)Pesticides/Herbicides
Oil and greaseThermal
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Pollutants Continued
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Fresh Water At A Premium
Water Planet: 70% of Earth is water, but…• Only 2.5% is freshwater.• Much is not accessible. If all earth's water
was a 5-litre container, available fresh water would not fill a teaspoon!
Where we use it:• Household use 10% - as much as 40% for
outdoor use • Agriculture 70% - more than 50% of this is
wasted.• Industry 20%
By 2025, 2.8 Billion people on planet earth with face water scarcity.
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Rain Barrels to the Rescue
Why a rain barrel?• Collect “free” rain water• Water plants with non-chlorinated,
renewable supply• Save money on water bills• Reduce runoff to streams• Save the planet!
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Rain BarrelsCommercially Manufactured
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Rain BarrelsRainsaver, Raincube & Pepper Barrel
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Rain BarrelsCommercially Made – “Urban” Brand
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Homemade Rain BarrelsFood & Soap Containers
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Our Rain Barrels
Rain Box Riversides
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GHI Barrel Details
Rain Box Size: 75 gal. 20”x24”x46” 2” overflow Ball valve tap w/ 3/4”
threaded hose connector
Black color
Riversides Size: 132 gal. 27”dia x 51” 4” overflow Brass ball valve tap
w/ 3/4” threaded hose connector
Dual stage filter Multiple color
choices
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Riversides Color Choices
Multiple Color Options for City
Residents
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Why GHI Barrels
Heavy-duty construction Freeze-safe Child-safe Mosquito-safe filters (<500micron) Easy to clean and operate Sized for Maryland Rains!
• Large high capacity downspout input• High volume overflow and storm event by-
pass
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Roof tops and RainfallHow “big” a barrel do I need?
The Rain flow math: V = A² x R x 0.90 x (7.5 gal./ft.³)
whereV = volume of water in gallons,
A² = surface area of roof in square feet,R = rainfall in feet
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Roof tops and RainfallHow “big” a barrel do I need?
roof area (approx) area / downspout (approx)
water volume / downspout (approx)
from ½" rainfall from 1" rainfall
400 sq. ft 200 sq. ft. 57 gallons 113 gallons
460 sq. ft 230 sq. ft. 65 gallons 129 gallons
520 sq. ft 260 sq. ft. 73 gallons 146 gallons
560 sq. ft 280 sq. ft. 79 gallons 158 gallons
710 sq. ft 355 sq. ft. 100 gallons 200 gallons
800 sq. ft 200 sq. ft. (avg. 4 downspouts) 57 gallons 113 gallons
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Installing your Rain Barrel
Site barrel near where you plan to use it. Start with a firm (and level) foundation.
• Paver bricks, cinder blocks, compacted earth• Full rain barrels can weigh >600-1,000 pounds!
Use hard pipe to connect.• Flexible downspout extenders tend to clog, blow in
the wind, and trap water that attracts mosquitoes. Allow room for cleaning filters.
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Barrel Maintenance
After a storm• Check water level• Check/clean filters for debris
Once a month• Check/clean filter screens and clear leaves – Especially in
spring and fall! Once a year
• Completely drain barrel to flush out fine particles.• Check barrel, screens, spigots for wear or leaks.
Winter Care• Drain about ½ of water from barrel to reduce freeze risk• Turn barrel collection to “bypass” – if equipped.
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Other River Friendly Ideas
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Rain Gardens: What are they?
Rain gardens represent innovative approaches and natural garden designs which make
efficient use of rainfall and native plants to prevent pollution and erosion, and recharge
essential groundwater supplies.
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Simple Rain GardenBackyard Bed
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GHI Rain GardensBefore and After
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GHI Rain GardensBefore and After
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Redirecting DownspoutsHinged Downspout Extensions
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Cisterns
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Permeable PaversDriveways – Roads & Parking - Patios
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Next Steps
Take a rainy day walk• Look for areas where water ponds.• Watch how water flows across your
yard, neighborhood.• Check out drainage channels and
local streams during a storm.
Order your rain barrel!
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For More Information:
Matt Berres Director, Operations
Greenbelt Homes Inc. mberres@ghi.coop
www.ghi.coop/content/rain-barrels www.ghi.coop/content/rain-gardens
www.rainscapes.org
www.riversides.org/
www.epa.gov/owow/
Other Good Websites
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