In October, the Kitsap Conservation District was selected from 47 districts to be recognized as the Northwest Area Team of the Year by the Washington State Conservation Commission.

The Commission lauded Kitsap Conservation District’s innovative partnership with Clean Water Kitsap and their award winning Rain Garden and Green Stormwater Solutions Program.

Established in 2010, the Rain Garden Program is a dynamic, nationally-recognized program that has been a model for other agencies. The focus is to help landowners manage stormwater in a more natural way to help Puget Sound.

The program not only offers free site visits and technical assistance, it also covers the cost of much of the practices installed up to $1,000. To date, the Conservation District, in partnership with landowners, has completed 146 rain gardens, cisterns and other stormwater solutions with many more in the pipeline.

Landowners interested in helping Puget Sound in unincorporated Kitsap County are encouraged to contact the District for a free site visit at 360-337-7171.

Stormwater management practices available for cost share include not only rain gardens and cisterns, but soakage trenches, lawn modification, and native plants.

The Rain Garden Program is funded by Clean Water Kitsap, a multi-agency partnership led by Kitsap County Public Works working to reduce flooding, prevent pollution, and restore fish habitat.

To learn more about what we are doing to keep water clean and what you can do to help, explore Clean Water Kitsap at www.cleanwaterkitsap.org.

To find out more about the Kitsap Conservation District, go to www.kitsapcd.org.