Cincinnati garden volunteers install swales to improve area hydrology

After efforts to create a community garden failed this summer, members of the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati found a better idea. They have created a rain garden using swales, ditches built into a hill to promote the absorption of rainwater. The swales slow the movement of water running down the hill, allowing the ground to absorb it before it hits the streets and becomes storm water. This will reduce the amount of storm water in Cincinnati’s sewers. It will also provide a more consistent water source for the perennial food plants the CGC has planted, including pecan trees, blackberries and raspberries. The marshy consistency in the swales is an ideal habitat for elderberries that will be planted. More native plants will be added in the spring to improve the area’s ecology.

Read more at cincinnati.com

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