Tag: SUDs

Counting on … day 182

1st October 2024

Variations of SUDs and rain gardens can -and are being – used in schools to promote biodiversity (more and varied planting) and creating more exciting play areas to stimulate awareness of the environment. 

“We designed, built, and installed 564 SuDS Rain Planters in 72 of London’s schools most vulnerable to flooding. Through this project, we aimed to create sustainable, climate-resilient environments while educating children on the importance of nature in combatting global warming.” (1)

Playgrounds can be designed to be rain-playgrounds which use rain to add to the diversity of play opportunities. In Gothenburg they have purposely built rain-play grounds that have “been designed to be particularly fun when it’s wet. There are dips in the ground to make the puddles deeper and more satisfyingly splashy, and water gushes down channels from lilypad-shaped rain shelters into a sandpit where children can make pools, rivers and dams. “The kids love to go on their bicycles through the puddles, and my son likes to dig the sands, so some parts of the playground are really nice when it rains,”” (2)

(1) https://www.meristemdesign.co.uk/blog/rain-gardens-vs-suds-planters-differences

(2) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/06/wetter-the-better-gothenburgs-bold-plan-to-be-worlds-best-rainy-city?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 181

30th September 2024

Householders can reduce the peak pressure on storm drains by making use of the SUDs principles. 

Eg Gravel and setts rather than solid concrete drive ways, water butts (although these will need emptying before heavy storms), rain gardens and ponds etc. 

The RHS explains that “a rain garden is a shallow area of ground or dip which receives run-off from roofs and other hard surfaces. It is planted with plants that can stand waterlogging for up to 48 hours at a time. More drought-tolerant plants are used towards the edges. Storm water fills the depression and then drains. A rill or channel of some kind will connect the roof downpipe to the dip. You can include other linking elements such as a water butt, rain chain, stormwater planter, or pond.” (1)  

The Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust has also useful information about creating rain gardens – https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/gardening-for-wetlands/how-to-make-a-rain-garden/

(1) https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-features/rain-gardens

Counting on … day 180

27th September 2024

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) rather than using drainage pipes as the immediate means of collecting rainwater, use natural features to slow and temporarily collect rainwater. This reduces the peak demands placed on drainage systems – peaks which often overwhelm the system.

SUDS may include planting flowerbeds or other green verges alongside roads and pavements, replacing hard surfaces with softer surfaces – eg concrete with gravel – and creating rain gardens, ponds and streams or rills. Rain in this way can be used to create attractive features, new habitats, and increased biodiversity.

For more information see https://www.susdrain.org/delivering-suds/using-suds/background/sustainable-drainage.html