Rain Garden Cost Share

Program Overview

The purpose of the City of Owatonna Rain Garden Cost Share Program (RGCS) is to promote, facilitate, and increase the number of residential rain gardens in Owatonna by awarding cost share grants for a limited number of residential rain gardens. These rain gardens will be used as educational resources to further promote ways to improve water quality and reduce the risk of localized flooding. Modeled after cost share programs in Rochester and Dakota County, the RGCS program will provide cost share grants of 50% up to $500 to residents who meet eligibility requirements.

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Rain gardens can be located just about anywhere on a landscape, but here are some guidelines to help you select the right place:

  • Areas where there are water puddles long enough to form small ponds are not ideal. The infiltration of the soil is already low, and adding a garden will make it worse.
  • Choose a relatively flat section of land that has well drained soil. This will make digging easier.
  • Place the garden at least ten feet from a building foundation to prevent structural damage from flooding and wetness.
  • Place the garden in full, or immediate, sunlight. This will speed up drying, decrease pathogens, and promote plant growth.
  • You will want to look for a place that the rain garden will catch runoff. It is usually a low-laying area.

When you go to design your garden, you can do just about anything. They can be just about any shape or size. A lot of rain garden designs are in the shape of a kidney bean, with the largest side facing the source of the runoff. However, shape is not critical. Use your imagination. But, before you start digging call your local utilities to make sure that your garden will not interfere with electric, gas, phone, or water lines.

Additional Assistance

If you need a little help coming up with a rain garden design, the Engineering Department has developed 6 different Rain Garden Designs that will work with our local soils.