Rain Gardens: Mitigating Runoff Pollution for Coastal Texas

Summary

The WaterSmart Program of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, part of the Texas A&M University System, will conduct a concerted educational and outreach initiative that includes the installation of a minimum of three demonstration rain gardens in high visibility areas. These will be easily accessible public displays with accompanying signage that clearly show the environmental and aesthetic benefits rain gardens provide. In addition, a how-to manual, addressing the unique soils, topography, and hydrology of Texas coastal communities would target residential and commercial entities. Along with the manual, a minimum of two hands-on workshops plus several individual classes will be offered. Supporting material will be added to the WaterSmart website (www.watersmart.cc) to extend the educational outreach to the widest audience.