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All that falling rain in Washington State has to go somewhere. Unfortunately, too often it runs off of driveways and streets into stormdrains, and then into nearby streams and bays, eroding and polluting fish habitat in the process.
A lot of people are trying to figure out new technologies for capturing
stormwater runoff and helping it soak back into the ground like it did
before native forests were paved over. One such idea is the construction of rain gardens: shallow, landscaped, "bio-retention" ponds built with compost-amended soils that not only soak up runoff, but also cleanse it through bacterial action before it seeps into the ground.
 Whidbey Island Conservation District
(WICD), through a contract with the City of Langley and the Department of Ecology, has been educating people on the benefits of rain gardens and other "low impact development" (LID) practices. WICD is becoming the "hub" for disseminating LID information, empowering residents and businesses all over the island, to work together to reduce runoff through innovative techniques.
Since reducing runoff is one of the most effective means of protecting our natural resources, many of the other 46 conservation districts in Washington State have an interest in LID practices. Contact your local conservation district to see what kind of help is available for urban or rural projects that prevent erosion and pollution in our neighborhoods, on our farms, and throughout our towns.
For more about Whidbey Island Conservation District programs and projects, read their annual report:  Annual Report 2007 - Whidbey Island Conservation District 172.09 Kb
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