Rain Garden in Stratton Meadows Coming May 2024!

The Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers (CASFM) awarded $5000 to the Fountain Creek Watershed District and its partner, Kelly Bull Permaculture Design, for the installation of a residential rain garden in the Stratton Meadows neighborhood in Colorado Springs.  The rain garden will be installed in May 2024.

Stratton Meadows is a diverse neighborhood consisting of single-family residential homes and affordable housing apartment complexes with a high population of underserved residents. The implementation of this garden will showcase their numerous benefits including improved water quality, reduced runoff volumes, beautification, and support of pollinator habitat. This pilot project could build into a much grander scale program in the future. As one of Colorado's fastest-growing regions, water conservation and water quality protection are greatly needed in our watershed. Raingardens are a proven tool to protect watershed health for Fountain Creek residents and our downstream neighbors throughout the Arkansas Valley. In addition to stormwater management and water quality benefits, raingardens beautify properties and provide numerous ecosystem services. For more information on raingardens check out this page.

Stratton Meadows Rain Garden Design

Neighborhood food forest in progress!!!

Thanks to a grant from the Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers, we partnered with Kelly Bull Permaculture and CONO to design and install edible and water-wise landscapes that will provide food, shade, wildlife support, and beauty to a Colorado Springs neighborhood.

Rain gardens and edible gardens with low-water, pollinator-supporting plants demonstrate how we can use our water resources wisely to create productive gardens that have a healthy effect in the watershed. Not only will the yard be full of food, but it will be buzzing and fluttering with birds, bees and butterflies!

This design utilizes the downspout drainage to water fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, and flowering perennials. The goal is for a low-maintenance yet highly productive landscape that has a positive effect on the watershed.

We were delighted to have a visit by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, City of Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade and First Lady Abbey, Watershed District Board Member David Leinweber (Colorado Springs City Council), and Colorado Springs Councilwoman Talarico on our planting day!

Interested in pursuing a watershed community project with the District? Contact fountainckdist@gmail.com.