Polk Soil and water conservation district
Learn About Urban Conservation
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About
Education
Resources
Education Resources
Urban
Traditional urban development and landscaping designs cause rainfall to flow off roofs, sidewalks, driveways, and compacted lawns. Water flows into the street, down the storm drain and through the storm sewer to the nearest stream, river, or lake. Along the way, it picks up pollutants such as sediment, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, salts and nutrients. Polluted stormwater goes directly to water bodies without being treated.
To address these water quality concerns, urban residents can utilize Rainscaping practices. Learn more about the many Rainscaping practices that can be used on your property to help reduce runoff and water pollution!
Urban Conservation
Treating stormwater at your house, neighborhood, and community.
Watershed 101
What is a watershed? How are you connected to water, flooding, and water quality?
The Problem
Residential urban areas face many issues such as drainage problems, poor topsoil, pollution, and many other water related concerns. Understanding these obstacles is a key to solving them.
The Solution
There are many solutions in the urban areas that help alleviate our water quality and flooding issues.
Get Involved
Polk SWCD is here to help! Offering technical assistance, funding, and years of expertise; our commissioners and staff will provide the assistance that you need.
Urban Resources
Practice Standard Fillable Drawings
Permeable Pavers
Permeable Paver With Trench
Fabric Check For Permeable Paver With Sloping Rock Base
Fabric Check For Permeable Paver With Sloping Rock Base Alt
Rain Garden
Bioretention Cell
Practice Design Review Checklists
Permeable Pavers
Soil Quality Restoration Review Checklist
New Lawn
Existing Lawn
Rain Garden
Basic
Enhanced
Native Landscaping
Seeding
Live Plants
Bioretention Cell
Bioswale
Stormwater Wetland
Streambank Stabilization
Green Roof
Rainscaping Brochures
Rainscaping Iowa Commercial
Rainscaping Iowa Residential
Rainwater
Native Turf
Soil Quality Restoration
Native Landscaping
Rain Garden
Bioretention Cell
Bioswale
Permeable Pavers
Partners
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa Storm Water Education Program
Polk County Water Resources
Clean Water Iowa
Financial Assistance
Urban Resources
As urban areas grow by as little as 1%, you begin to see negative biological impacts to surface waters.
To provide leadership that helps people improve, conserve, and sustain our natural resources while educating them on the importance and practicality of maintaining our environment and quality of life.
Quick Links
Office Hours
- Monday-Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
-
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Closed on federal holidays
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