The Rain Garden Initiative of Toledo and Lucas County
"Promoting natural stormwater management and urban beautification"

In the summer of 2006, citizens in Toledo and Lucas County sustained heavy flooding from a series of rainstorms. The rainwater from these storms exceeded the capacity of the ditches and storm sewers on which the area depends to collect storm water and transport it safely to rivers and lakes. The volume of storm water is increased in urban areas like Toledo because of impervious surfaces like parking lots, roads and buildings that cause the water to run off instead of being absorbed into the ground.

Inspired by Kansas City's "10,000 Rain Gardens," the congresswoman for Toledo/Lucas County suggested that they find ways to encourage infiltration of storm water into the ground instead of trying to build bigger and better ditches and sewers.

For more information on Toledo, Ohio's
Rain Garden Initiative, SEE THE WEBSITE