Most property owners can find a low-lying piece of ground where a rain garden will be appropriate. Perhaps there is already a place that stays wet and even puddles up during rainy periods like we have had this spring. If you have tried to grow grass there, it probably does not do very well. And if it stays too wet, you may be concerned about breeding mosquitoes. A rain garden is designed and constructed to retain water and to make sure it infiltrates into the soil in less time than it takes for mosquitoes to breed.

The St. Louis Earth Day Symposium, held on May 7, 2008 from 8 AM—5 PM at University of Missouri-St Louis, JC Penney building, will offer tips on rain gardens, strategies for reducing stormwater runoff, and recommendations for best practices in site design and construction to improve our water quality and protect area streams. ShowMe Rain Gardens is a new initiative begun by the St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District to encourage better stormwater management by individuals, developers and local government.

In additions, this “green solutions” program includes examples of actions taken by local government officials to improve city ordinances and to promote best practices for water quality.

It also features information for individual property owners and developers on practices they can implement on a small or large scale to reduce runoff, slow erosion, reduce risk of flooding and clean up our local rivers and streams. The planning committee includes people from business, government and non-profit organizations.

This is the eighth annual St. Louis Earth Day Symposium on clean water for St. Louis. For information and registration go to www.stlouisearthday.org/sympsm08.htm. The program is $75 and includes breakfast, lunch and a reception.