Manage Stormwater

Using native wetland and moist prairie or forest plants in rain gardens, and in bioretention and wetland detention basins, slows down and absorbs rainwater, thus reducing the quantity and velocity of stormwater runoff, which protects streams and water quality.

Consult these resources for more information on natives for managing stormwater:

• Grow Native! for Water Quality, Missouri Prairie Journal, Vol. 33, No. 1, 2012
• Grow Native! Missouri’s Native Aquatics, Missouri Prairie Journal, Vol. 35, No. 2, 2014
• Rain Gardening and Stormwater Management: a landscaping guide for Missouri, from Shaw Nature Reserve and Grow Native
• Create lists of native plants ideal for rain gardens by using the “Rainscaping” filter in the Native Plant Database