Take tour of Bellingham rain gardens on Saturday, Jan. 16
Learn how to curb stormwater pollution during a tour of rain gardens and other facilities Saturday, Jan. 16.
The free event runs 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It begins and ends at the at Fairhaven Village Green, 1207 10th St.
Stormwater is rain and melted snow that runs off hard surfaces — rooftops, paved streets, highways and parking lots — and into local waterways instead of soaking into the ground.
It carries pollutants like oil, fertilizers and pet waste into the water, which is why stormwater is the leading contributor of pollution in urban waterways in the state.
Rain gardens help absorb stormwater and reduce its impacts, according to a news release from tour organizer RE Sources for Sustainable Communities.
In addition to private rain gardens, the tour will stop at several stormwater facilities at Western Washington University, new stormwater facilities along 25th Street near WWU, and the Padden Creek Estuary Water Quality Facility under construction.
No registration is needed for the tour. For more information go to www.re-sources.org and click on “Events.”
No transportation is provided. Carpooling or bicycling is encouraged.
Kie Relyea: 360-715-2234, @kierelyea
This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 6:54 AM with the headline "Take tour of Bellingham rain gardens on Saturday, Jan. 16."