WETLAND PLANTS
Storm water runoff is the main contributor to non-point source pollution entering the Bayou Vermilion. During a heavy rain, pollutants such as sediment, pesticides, fertilizers, oil, and other harmful chemicals are rinsed from parking lots and yards into storm drains, ditches, and coulees that empty into the Bayou Vermilion.
Planting wetland plants along the edges of ditches, coulees, and the bayou banks slows down runoff which reduces erosion and turbidity. Plant roots allow more water to soak into the ground, and many pollutants carried by storm water runoff can be filtered by the plants and processed by bacteria present in the soil.
Contact us at 769-7283 to find out how to get free native wetland plants from the Bayou Vermilion District.
Wetland plants are beneficial to communities :
- Reduce flooding in waterways
- Provide habitat for wildlife
- Improve the quality of water recharging our groundwater.
- Increase the amount of water recharging our groundwater.
- Reduce the amount of storm water runoff that enters waterways
Through a grant with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) the Bayou Vermilion District is able to demonstrate five approaches that homeowners can use to improve the quality of storm water entering the Bayou Vermilion.
- Construct a wetland plant nursery and demonstration area.
- Construct a demonstration rain garden.
- Construct three demonstration parking zones of pervious pavement.
- Construct and distribute rain barrels.
- Increase the bio-retention of an existing detention pond between Vermilionville and Jean Lafitte National Park.