What Are Rain Gardens? A Look at Bioretention Solutions

Bioretention facility at Gift & Thrift in Harrisonburg

With spring officially underway, it won’t be long before Harrisonburg’s trees and flowers start to bloom – all we need are a few healthy rain showers! Heavy rains bring our green lawns and flower gardens back to life, but too much rain can become a problem if the earth becomes oversaturated and unable to drain. Fortunately, civil engineers have eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions for this problem: rain gardens and bioretention facilities. 

Rain gardens and bioretention facilities are depressions in the ground that collect runoff and use native plants and soils for treating and dispersing the water. Rain gardens are the smaller and less complicated of the two designs and can be found near driveways or under gutter drains. Bioretention facilities are the more complex and large-scale designs. In addition to having the most-efficient drainage and pollutant removal systems, bioretention facilities also promote healthy tree and plant growth. 

Mosquitoes are thought to live in rain gardens or bioretention facilities because of the collected water, but this is a common misunderstanding! Engineers specifically plan for water to be  absorbed and processed within 48 hours through an underdrain system of plant roots, soils and filters which prevents any prolonged pooling or stagnant water. 

Are you interested in having a beautiful rain garden or bioretention facility at your home or business? If so, give us a call! Our team is here to provide you with the high-quality civil engineering services your project deserves. Contact us to get started.

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