Rain Gardens serve as an excellent tool to beautify one’s yard while also creating a system to manage storm water and control pollution. They can be a great way to landscape a low spot with a tendency to hold standing water. To see the variety of ways in which a rain garden can be employed, visit sample gardens in Northwest Indiana (link coming soon!).

Through our commitment to water quality, NIRPC encourages all landowners to consider a rain garden for their properties. Rain gardens improve water quality by preventing storm water from picking up pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, and car fluids and washing them into local streams through storm sewer systems. Instead, rain water is retained in the garden and soaks into the ground.

Much information on designing and constructing a rain garden can be collected from searching the web or asking local landscape and nursery professionals. Several manuals for designing and constructing rain gardens, including one specifically for Northwest Indiana, are available through links listed below. NIRPC has developed several online tools to further assist individuals and groups planning a rain garden project: