Rain Barrels: Harvesting the Heavens Saving Streams

www.ghi.coop/rainbarrels

Rain Barrels: Harvesting the Heavens

Saving Streams


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)


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


What is a Watershed?

A watershed is the area of land that drainsto a particular point along a stream


Hydrologic Cycle

*Impervious cover produces *Impervious cover produces 16 times16 times more more stormwater runoff than forest.stormwater runoff than forest.


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


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


Pollutants and Problems

Nutrients Sediment

Trash Heavy metals (ex. Zinc,

copper, lead)Pesticides/Herbicides

Oil and greaseThermal


Pollutants Continued


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.


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!


Rain BarrelsCommercially Manufactured


Rain BarrelsRainsaver, Raincube & Pepper Barrel


Rain BarrelsCommercially Made – “Urban” Brand


Homemade Rain BarrelsFood & Soap Containers


Our Rain Barrels

Rain Box Riversides


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


Riversides Color Choices

Multiple Color Options for City

Residents


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


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


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





800 sq. ft 200 sq. ft. (avg. 4 downspouts) 57 gallons 113 gallons


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.


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.


Other River Friendly Ideas


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.


Simple Rain GardenBackyard Bed


GHI Rain GardensBefore and After


GHI Rain GardensBefore and After


Redirecting DownspoutsHinged Downspout Extensions


Cisterns


Permeable PaversDriveways – Roads & Parking - Patios


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!


For More Information:

Matt Berres Director, Operations

Greenbelt Homes Inc. [email protected]

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

Rain Barrels: Harvesting the Heavens Saving Streams

Self Improvement

cooprainbarrels

rain barrel

watershed

water

cooprainbarrels

barrel

www

earth