The City of Brandon is seeking applicants for the 2024 Residential Rain Garden Pilot Program. This program in partnership with Central Assiniboine Watershed District is seeking up to sixteen (16) single dwelling residential properties to install a rain garden in their yard in the summer of 2024.
A rain garden is a type of green infrastructure landscape that collects stormwater (rain and melted snow) that runs off your grass and impervious surfaces, such as rooftops and driveways.
Rain gardens are designed to have a shallow depression that has deep, loose soil so that it absorbs and naturally filters stormwater. Although water is collected in rain gardens, they are not a breeding habitat for mosquitoes. Rain gardens are aesthetically pleasing with minimal maintenance requirements.
A rain garden can also:
– reduce the amount of water that enters the local storm water system
– reduce flooding and mitigates drainage issues
– attract birds, butterflies, pollinators, and other beneficial insects
– help to recharge the aquifer* located below the City of Brandon
Basic eligibility requirements for the program include:
– Applicants must be a resident of Brandon and the rain garden must be installed on a property you own within city limits
– The rain garden must be in a low-lying location on your property
– The rain garden must be installed at least three (3) metres away from the foundation of your house
– You must be able to redirect a downspout from your roof to the rain garden area
– The proposed rain garden location must be clear of any trees and/or underground services
If residents are interested in applying to be a part of the pilot program, they should apply online at Residential Rain Garden Pilot Program. Once approved, a staff member from the Central Assiniboine Watershed District will contact the homeowner to assist with the design and installation of the rain garden. There is a limited amount of funding available. Eligible applicants will be assessed on a first come, first-served basis.
For more information about the program and eligibility, please visit City of Brandon – Rain Garden
*An aquifer is any geological formation containing or conducting groundwater, especially one that supplies the water for wells, springs, etc.
Learn more about aquifers at Language selection – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada / Sélection de la langue – Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada
