Presentation to offer fundamentals of rain barrels

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Media Contact: Trisha Gedon | Communications Specialist | 405-744-3625 | trisha.gedon@okstate.edu

Anyone interested in learning about rain barrels in the home landscape can do so at an upcoming Fundamentals for Rain Barrels presentation in April.

“Rainwater harvesting is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly practice for consumers,” said Qing Luo, Oklahoma State University associate professor and OSU Extension landscape architecture specialist. “It’s a great way to conserve water, which can cut down on your utility bill. It also can help reduce the demand on the municipal water supply. In addition, capturing rainwater can help reduce flooding issues and erosion around your home.”

The OSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture is partnering with the City of Stillwater Stormwater Program to help the public learn more about why rainwater harvesting as well as rain barrel site selection and installation techniques are important.

The workshop will take place via Zoom from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on April 6. Participants may register online up to one day before the workshop begins. Space is limited to 50 participants. A Zoom link will be sent to participants automatically via email following registration.

Luo said the free workshop is open to the public and no previous rain barrel experience is required.

Rain barrels provide consumers with a way to store seasonal rains to use in the off-peak season. Oklahomans are familiar with drought situations and capturing this free resource as it falls from the sky can have a positive impact on the environment and the checkbook.

“Typically, June is the wettest month of the year in Oklahoma, with the yearly average across the state being 17 inches in the far western Panhandle to about 56 inches in the far southeast part of the state,” she said. “Participants in this workshop would have time to set up a rain barrel or two in their landscape before the state experiences its rainiest season.”

Landscape plants often appear greener and brighter after a rain event because rainwater is a salt-free source of water that contains many beneficial ingredients.

For more information about the workshop, contact Qing Luo at 405-744-5421 or via email at Qing.Luo@okstate.edu.