Ballard Natural Drainage
Project Update
Find out more about the soils analysis.
See the results of the December 2012 survey (pdf)
How natural drainage filters pollutants (Sightline article)
Second Public Meeting – Feb. 12, 2013
If you couldn’t make it to the meeting, please take a look at the display boards (pdf).
See the timeline for the technical analysis and public involvement process (pdf).
First Public Meeting– Oct. 2, 2012
View the October 2 presentation (pdf).
Read the questions and comments from the meeting (pdf).
View the display boards from the meeting (pdf).
Performance monitoring of constructed roadside raingardens began in fall 2012. We will share the results of these tests, as well as what the soil borings show, in 2013.
Project History
The project to construct natural drainage (roadside raingardens) began in 2009. Drainage swales were installed in the public right-of-way across 10 city blocks between NW 65th Street and NW 80th Street and 28th Avenue NW and 31st Avenue NW in Ballard. See the project map (pdf).
The rain gardens are designed with soils and densely planted vegetation to infiltrate and filter stormwater flowing from the roadway, while providing attractive landscaping. Rain gardens are located within existing planting strips, and, in some cases, may extend slightly into roadways.
If you live in Ballard and would like to explore the possibility of having a roadside rain garden installed by the city, please send your name, address, phone number and email address to the project manager at roadsideraingardens@seattle.gov.
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