Do you know where your downspouts aim?

Groundwater provides a source of streamflow even during drier months . . . that is, if there is groundwater. Replenishing the groundwater can be a challenge in watersheds like Thornton Creek, where nearly 2/3 of the landscape is covered by impervious surfaces -- roads, parking lots, rooftops. Instead of soaking into soil and recharging the groundwater, rain rushes into storm drains and flows away through pipes. And that can present a problem for living things that depend on streams year-round for their survival.

Creek Peek for Families

Close your eyes and see if you can remember where the downspouts on your house or apartment building are. Do your downspouts direct rainwater onto pavement or onto ground? This fall, see if you can aim them so that rain has a chance to soak into soil and recharge your watershed's groundwater.