How Rain Gardens Put Stormwater to Work
When a heavy summer storm hits a forest, the ground acts like a giant sponge. Leaves and branches slow the falling drops, while thick layers of decaying plants and loose soil soak up the water. In a town or city, however, a rainstorm meets a very different surface. Roofs, driveways, sidewalks, and streets are impervious surfaces, meaning water cannot pass through them. Instead of soaking into the earth, rainwater rushes across the pavement in a fast-moving sheet called stormwater runoff.
As stormwater races down driveways and streets, it causes two major problems. First, so much water moving at once can overwhelm storm drains and flood local creeks. Second, the water acts like a broom, sweeping up whatever lies on the ground. It collects motor oil dripped from cars, fertilizers and pesticides from lawns, pet waste, road salt, and loose dirt. Because most neighborhood storm drains flow directly into nearby streams, rivers, or lakes without being cleaned at a treatment plant, all of that pollution ends up in the water where fish, frogs, and turtles live.
- decaying:
- Slowly breaking down and rotting after dying.
- overwhelm:
- To fill or burden something with more than it can handle at one time.
- depression:
- A low spot or hollow area in the surface of the ground.
- microbes:
- Tiny living things, such as bacteria, that are too small to see without a microscope.
- sediment:
- Loose bits of dirt, sand, or rock that are carried along by water.
- pollutants:
- Harmful substances, like oil or chemicals, that make water, soil, or air dirty.
- adapted:
- Suited to survive well in a particular environment or kind of weather.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How does the ground in a forest respond differently to a heavy summer storm than the surfaces in a town or city?
- 2What are the two main problems caused by stormwater runoff in towns and cities?
About this informational passage for Upper Elementary
“How Rain Gardens Put Stormwater to Work” is a informational reading passage about Rain Gardens, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (561 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.