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Disconnect Your Downspout!

So what the heck is a downspout and why would I want to disconnect it? First things first: your downspout is the vertical tubing that funnels water from your rain gutters down to the storm drains and sewers. With Portland receiving an average of 37” of rain every year, this equates to a flood of water flowing through thousands of downspouts and into the overburdened storm drains, sewer systems, and eventually into the Willamette River.
So, you might ask, where will the water go if I disconnect my downspout? Through proper disconnection and diversion, the water from your rain gutters can be redirected to flow onto lawns, into rain barrels, or you can even build a rain garden cheaply and easily. Of course disconnection of every one of your downspouts is not always an option. Through careful planning and proper installation of components available at most home and garden shops, demand on sewers and storm drains can be reduced while protecting our streams and river from toxic runoff.