Torrence
Creek
Rain Garde ns at Nor th Meck Rec ycling Ce nte r
In the past ten years, more than 50 rain gardens have been
built by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services.
Rain gardens are storm water management features are
designed to improve water quality. But do they work?
Look at these water samples from a rain garden at the
North Mecklenburg Recycling Center in Huntersville. The
new rain garden was completed this year to improve an
existing and structure on the site. The results are positive
and dramatic.
“Before” shows storm water runoff as it enters the front of
the rain garden. “After” shows the runoff after it has gone
through the rain garden’s filtering process.
The cleaner runoff is released into Torrence and McDowell
Creeks, then to Mountain Island Lake—the source of
Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s drinking water.
More about how rain gardens
improve water quality at: stormwater.charmeck.org
Your Storm Water fees
at work!