The extreme heat and lack of precipitation this season have forced many people to get creative with finding a way to water their gardens. Rain barrels are a great addition to your outdoor space!
Rain barrels can be sophisticated with features like valves, hoses, etc., or they can be any type of container that holds water. Please remember that the container should be food-grade so that nothing toxic will leach out of the container and there should be a mesh screen/net over the top so that mosquitoes cannot enter to lay their eggs.
Stormwater runoff
Anytime precipitation flows across the land, it becomes runoff. Precipitation may infiltrate into the soil or run off into streams, bodies of water, drains, or evaporate back into the atmosphere. In nature, most precipitation is absorbed by trees and other plants, or it may permeate or “soak” into the ground, which results in recharging groundwater supplies and bodies of water. However, when there are impervious surfaces (pavement, buildings/roofs, and other structures and materials covering the soil), this precipitation can no longer soak into the soil and has to go somewhere else. When stormwater is not managed correctly, it can result in catastrophic consequences such as stream bank erosion, flooding, pollution, threats to human health, and tainted water supplies. The University of Maryland Extension provides more information on stormwater management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Environmental Site Design practices from the Maryland Department of the Environment have changed the way residential stormwater is managed and recommend that homeowners address stormwater discharge at the individual level. Individuals can make a difference by reducing the quantity and improving the quality of any stormwater that is leaving their specific property. It is important to realize that activities on your property can adversely affect neighboring landscapes, as water does not follow property boundaries. Penn State’s Homeowners Guide to Stormwater Management is an awesome resource to help you investigate your property and see what changes you can make. With stormwater, you want to slow it down and let it soak into the soil and one of the ways that you can do this is by utilizing a container for rainwater collection.
Rainwater harvesting is when a device such as a barrel or cistern is used to catch natural precipitation. These containers are often positioned at the edge of a building drainage system, above or below the ground, and are examples of micro-scale stormwater management techniques to slow down a small amount of water and use it later when there is no precipitation. This allows the capture and re-use of rainwater to promote water conservation, reduce runoff volumes, and the discharge of pollutants downstream.
Using stored rainwater can decrease municipal water usage (allowing this potable water for vital drinking) and provide a source of water that is free from chlorine, fluoride, etc. Water that is caught in a rain barrel is considered non-potable and not safe for human consumption— no bathing, no drinking, and no cooking. It can be used for watering plants and lawns, rinsing tools, adding to a compost pile, filling ornamental ponds and bird baths, washing vehicles, or even flushing toilets during a power outage. Please note that there is some special guidance for using rain barrel water to water a vegetable garden. The Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station has a great fact sheet that outlines some of the cautions and best practices and recommendations that include using bleach to reduce contaminants, using the water on the soil only, and not harvesting vegetables at the same time that you are watering.
Preparing your site for rain barrel installation
Identify where you will be placing your rain barrel. Be sure to think about how you will use your rainwater and if you need to raise the barrel to get a watering can, bucket, etc., under the nozzle to empty the barrel. The site should be clean of debris and level. If it’s not level, build a platform out of rocks, pavers, stones, blocks, or even wood. You do not want the water barrel to tip over or fill up unevenly. Remember that a standard-size rain barrel is 55 gallons, which means it weighs more than 400 pounds when full of water!
Installing the rain barrel
Most 55-gallon rain barrels will get full in a matter of minutes if a roof downspout is routed to fill the container, so it is very important to plan for the overflow once the barrel is full. Rain barrel or downspout diverters can be installed so that once the barrel is full, the water will then go back to following the original drainage path. There must be a plan in place to capture the excess water so that no damage is done to building foundations. Also, know that until the barrel catches water for the first time, it can be caught and blown by the wind, so it’s important to have something to weigh it down, either a brick, rock, or block. Do not add rain barrels or disconnect downspouts near septic systems or drinking wells or springs and be sure to avoid utilities such as electric, cable, internet, sewer, or gas lines. Always call Miss Utility before any digging or construction of any kind.
Maintaining your rain barrel
You want to be sure that you are emptying and using the water that is stored in your rain barrel as soon as possible (at least every 5-7 days) to ensure that the water stays as fresh as possible. If you have extra water in the barrel and rain is in the forecast, just let it trickle into a nearby flowerbed or hook up a drip irrigation hose so that the stored water can slowly soak into the ground. Again, one benefit of the rain barrel is to slow down water during a precipitation event and allow it to sink into the soil later on. Having a darker-colored rain barrel can help slow algae growth; however, you might need to occasionally clean your barrel with a mild bleach solution. It is also very important to keep the screen free of debris/leaves/etc. and in good condition and the lid securely in place. In climates where snow and freezing temperatures occur, rain barrels will have to be drained, and downspouts reconnected to original drainage pathways in late fall. Barrels should be stored in an outbuilding/garage or simply turned upside down so that the barrel does not freeze solid and bust. In Spring, barrels can then be reconnected and used again.
Resources for building a rain barrel
Rain Barrels: How to Build Your Own, Part 1 | Rutgers New Jersey Extension
Rain Barrels: Why, When, & How| University of Maryland Extension, Garrett County, archived webinar
Consider adding a rain barrel to your landscape today!
By Ashley Bodkins, Senior Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Garrett County, Maryland. Read more posts by Ashley.
All photos in this article, unless otherwise noted, were shared by participants in the rain barrel program supported by the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation.