We may be out of the woods when it comes to snow flurries, but the spring showers are just getting started. And there’s a way to turn those showers into a sustainable resource for your home and garden, reducing runoff and giving your plants a free drink.

What is a rain barrel?

These containers, typically holding 30 to 100 gallons, are designed to collect and store rainwater for later use. The harvested water can then be used to water plants, wash your car, and tackle other practical household tasks.

Not only are they useful to you, but they also improve the health of the French Broad watershed.

The French Broad River stretches 219 miles and is fed by about 4,000 miles of rivers and streams across eight counties. And in more urban areas like Buncombe County, rain running off rooftops and pavement flows untreated into waterways, causing flooding, erosion, and pollution — a problem expected to grow as development increases. By capturing that roof runoff in rain barrels, homeowners can help slow the flow of stormwater and keep some of it out of local streams.

Sunny Point Cafe resolved its flooding issues by installing rain barrels. | Photo courtesy of RiverLink

How to get one

You can purchase rain barrels from local garden shops like Fifth Season Gardening or from the NC Cooperative Extension Buncombe County Center.

And if this isn't your first rodeo with rain barrels, RiverLink has a step-by-step guide and accompanying instructional video for constructing your own. Beyond barrels, the environmental nonprofit has plenty of residential resources in its WaterRICH program to help you manage stormwater.