Reduce runoff, fight floods

How many floods is it going to take before we recognize that wise watershed management is essential for reducing flood damage in this age of increased rain?

We need to guide stormwater vertically into the soil instead of horizontally across it. If everyone individually retains water on their property, rather than diverting it to storm sewers and ditches, we will reduce the enormous human and financial costs of floods. I call on every landowner to take the following steps to reduce runoff:

HOMEOWNERS

' Reduce mowing. Tall grass sends its roots deeper into the soil, creating topsoil and absorbing more water than mowed lawns. Save money and time and let of the way areas, road ditches, and anywhere else a lawn isn't needed grow into taller vegetation.

' Set the lawn mower on its highest or second highest setting. Tall lawn grass shades the ground, reducing weeds, and allows deeper root growth, reducing erosion and runoff.

' Encourage clover and other nitrogen-fixing lawn plants. They build topsoil.

' Add layers of compost to the lawn. Grass quickly grows through a veneer of compost and incorporates it into water-holding topsoil.

' Set up rain barrels beneath downspouts. They store free rainwater for irrigation and keep water out of storm sewers during rains.

' Set downspouts to discharge water into vegetation, even lawns, rather than driveways.

' Create a rain garden to encourage colorful flowers and absorb gutter water.

DEVELOPERS

' Replace a thick layer of topsoil on lawn areas following construction.

' Use permeable paving rather than conventional asphalt or concrete.

' Incorporate a rain garden into the site plan and run gutters to it.

GOVERNMENTS

Reduce runoff from public lands by:

' Mowing lawns only where absolutely necessary. Where possible replacing mowed lawns with prairie.

' Incorporating rain gardens, detention basins, and tall vegetation in all new public street and building projects. Retrofitting existing structures with rain gardens.

' Modifying ordinances and fee structures to encourage and reward private efforts to retain stormwater on private property.

BUSINESSES

' Convert existing pavement to permeable and use permeable materials for all new paving.

' Reduce parking lot size where possible.

' Create rain gardens to channel roof water into the ground.

' Only mow areas where lawns are essential. Mow lawns higher and encourage clovers and other soil building plants.

Our climate is getting wetter, but we can make positive changes on land we control. Flood walls and levees treat only the symptom of poor watershed management. The cure is taking better care of our land. If we all pitch in and each of us makes even small efforts to keep water out of rivers and streams, we all benefit.

' Rich Patterson co-owns WINDING PATHWAYS LLC. Contact: windingpathways@gmail.com