Slow the Flow
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Web Editor
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last modified
Jan 05, 2026 01:21 PM
Slow the Flow
Gravity’s force on storm runoff is strong, but landscapes with plants, rocks, berms and swales help slow down water’s flow to allow more water to infiltrate. The soil in healthy forests, grasslands, farms and gardens has lots of tiny air pockets. This soil acts like a sponge by absorbing, storing and slowly releasing water to plant roots.
Bare, compacted soil allows water to runoff quickly, creating erosion and making it difficult for new plants to become established. Erosion carries valuable top soil away from where it is needed most. Instead it ends up as sediment in rivers and lakes where it can harm aquatic life. We can use nature’s tools – carefully placed plants, rocks, mulch, and soil – to help slow the flow.
