USGS Nebraska Water Science Center
Monitoring the Effectiveness of Bioretention Cells
What can you do?
Both business owners and homeowners can help reduce stormwater runoff. Here's how:
Rain Gardens
A rain garden being installed at the Palmer Senior Center in Southcentral Alaska. Photo courtesy of Katrina Mueller, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Rain gardens are smaller-scale bioretention cells. Gardens work well for small areas such as yards.
More Information
Rain Garden Design for Home Owners
Installing Rain Gardens in your Yard
Plant Selection for Rain Gardens in Nebraska
Rain Garden Design
Rain Barrels
Photo courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Rain barrels are a low-cost way to capture runoff from a roof and store it for later use to irrigate lawns, gardens, and flowers. Easy to build yourself or may be purchased from many stores locally.
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Omaha Rain Barrel Program
Lincoln Rain Barrel Information
Rainwater Harvesting with Rain Barrels
Green Roofs
Photo courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Vegetated roof covers, with growing media and plants, can take the place of traditional roofing materials.
More Information
Green Roofs 101
UNL Green Roofs
Green roofs in Lincoln
Permeable Pavers
Photo courtesy of USGS.
- Permeable pavers are landscaping bricks with larger pore sizes that allow water to infiltrate to the soil beneath the bricks.
More Information
Permeable Pavers Overview
Watershed Benefits: Permeable Pavers
How to Install Permeable Pavers