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Episode 1: What the Heck is Storm Water Runoff?

image of stormwater running across a street Episode 1: What the Heck is Storm Water Runoff?

Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 5 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"What the Heck is Storm Water Runoff?" is Episode 1 in a series of exciting instructional videos on what people can do to change how storm water leaves their landscapes and how they can be stewards of their watersheds.

This video provides a quick introduction to pollution and storm water with a similar message as the original more detailed Slow the Flow video. This video also briefly describes the many negative impacts polluted storm water runoff has on human health and the environment. Some of the strategies to eliminate polluted storm water runoff in urban areas are also touched on in this video.

Episode 2: Lawn Removal - Lawn Begone

image of stormwater running across a street Episode 2: Lawn Removal - Lawn be Gone
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 7 1/2 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"Lawn Removal - Lawn Begone" is Episode 2 in a series of exciting instructional videos on what people can do to change how storm water leaves their landscapes and how they can be stewards of their watersheds.

This video provides a quick introduction to the many benefits of getting rid of your lawn and how to do it!. This video also briefly describes the many negative impacts lawns and lawn maintenance may have on storm water quality.

More information from Surfrider's Paul Herzog (Slow the Flow film star) on this film can be found at his blog - Paul Herzog's blog.

Episode 3: Make the Water Go – Disconnecting Down Spouts

image of yard with rain barrel to collect waterEpisode 3: Make the Water Go – Disconnecting Down Spouts
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 6 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"Make the Water Go – Disconnecting Down Spouts" is Episode 3 in a series of exciting instructional videos on what people can do to change how storm water leaves their landscapes and how they can be stewards of their watersheds.

This video provides an overview of how to use storm water from your roof as a resource by disconnecting the path it traditionally takes to the storm drain. Disconnecting your down spout is one of many tools you can use at home to shrink your ecological footprint and improve the quality of rivers and streams!

Episode 4: Lawn practices - Grass can Always be Greener

image of lawn being mowedEpisode 4: Lawn practices – Grass can Always be Greener
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 6 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"Lawn practices - Grass can Always be Greener" is Episode 4 in a series of exciting instructional videos on what people can do to change how storm water leaves their landscapes and how they can be stewards of their watersheds.

If you decide to keep a lawn, what can you do to make it stay green, take less green (cash) to maintain and still be green for the environment? Watch this short how to video on having a truly green lawn at your home.

Episode 5: Soils - Digging Up the Dirt on Soil

image of someone amending soil with their handsEpisode 5: Soils - Digging Up the Dirt on Soil
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 7 mins

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"Soils - Digging Up the Dirt on Soil" is Episode 5 in a series of exciting instructional videos on what people can do to change how storm water leaves their landscapes and how they can be stewards of their watersheds.

This short video is full of important information on how to transform your dirt at home into a thriving ecosystem. Building a healthy soil builds healthy plants and can save water. Healthy soil acts like a sponge and soaks up much of the water that would otherwise runoff the landscape. Even though we do not see it most of the time, fertile soil is full of hard working critters that create an important part of the food web!

And if you like David's Soil song, or you are a teacher who is looking for fun ways to get your students to remember science facts, check out David Newman's Science Song website: http://sciencesongbook.blogspot.com/

Episode 6: Permeable Pavers - Breaking Up is Easy to Do

image of asphalt being broken up with text stating breaking up is easy to doEpisode 6: Permeable Pavers - Breaking Up is Easy to Do
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 5 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"Permeable Pavers - Breaking Up is Easy to Do" is Episode 6 in a series of exciting instructional videos on what people can do to change how storm water leaves their landscapes and how they can be stewards of their watersheds.

Breaking up hard spaces in your landscape at home can really help in slowing the flow of water from storms or irrigation! Giving the water a place to go other than the storm drain is one great tool in your Slow the Flow tool box. This episode provides some design ideas and information on eliminating hardscapes in your neighborhood.

Episode 7: Swales are Swell and So Are Rain Gardens

image of text Swales are Swell and So Are Rain GardensEpisode 7: Swales are Swell and So Are Rain Gardens
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 7 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats. Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

"Swales are Swell and So Are Rain Gardens" is Episode 7 the last in the series of instructional videos the Water Board has been posting on how we can be stewards of our watersheds - which starts at home. Make sure to keep in the loop for upcoming events showcasing these videos.

When rain hits hard surfaces, it runs off and is collected by the storm drain system and can end up polluting the water body it drains to. This video focuses on alternatives to directing water off your property through creating depressions in your landscape that slow the flow and often create habitat full of native flora and fauna.

Slow the flow: Make Your Landscape Act Like a Sponge

With the assistance from the UC Davis Extension Land Use and Natural Resource Program, the Water Board Training Academy and the Storm Water Program have produced a film titled,"Slow the Flow: Make Your Landscape Act More Like a Sponge." This informative and entertaining film brings to life practices and projects that individuals and communities have created to steward our watersheds and slow the flow of storm water, one of the largest contributors of pollution into our waterways.

The half hour high definition documentary features a Sacramento landscaper who shocks his neighbors by pulling out his traditional front yard lawn and cement driveway, and putting in rain gardens, swales, native landscaping, and permeable paving; a suburban community that votes in a bond measure to pay for their school district to move to green multi-benefit watershed landscape practices and low impact development at all their schools; and a non-profit which is helping an urban neighborhood remove concrete and put in sidewalk gardens and median parks. The projects and approaches highlighted are very low-tech, green, habitat-enhancing, and beautiful – making a good argument for kicking back and not raking the leaves or watering the lawn.

The film educates viewers on how storm water is created, and the associated problems. While the statistics peppered throughout the film are sobering, Slow The Flow offers solutions that any homeowner or municipality can put into place, and shows that individuals can make a difference.

icon showing water flowing with text reading Slow the Flow - Making Your Landscape Act Like a Sponge and provides link to filmSlow the Flow
Hosted on YouTube …
(run time: approximately 30 mins)

Copies of the film are available on DVD, digital download and other high resolution formats.

Email stormwater@waterboards.ca.gov or phone 866-563-3107 to request your copy.

Forum with Michael Krasny - KQED Radio
Stormwater 101
Friday, December 10, 2010

Interview with Greg Gearheart
from the California Water Board.

Resources Mentioned in the Film and Useful Low Impact Development (LID) and Green Infrastructure (GI) Information