Trees Increase
Water Retention and Quality
Trees have been shown to influence the flow of water. Trees reduce
topsoil erosion by catching precipitation with their leaf canopies.
This lessens the force of storms and slows down water runoff which
in turn ensures that our groundwater supplies are continually being
replenished. Research has indicated that 100 mature trees intercept
approximately 100,000 gallons of rainfall per year and for every
5 percent of tree cover added to a community, storm water runoff
is reduced by approximately 2 percent. Along with breaking the fall
of rainwater, tree roots remove nutrients that are harmful to water
ecology and quality. Leaves that have fallen from the trees and
begun to decay form an organic layer that allows water to percolate
into the soil which also aids in the reduction of runoff and soil
erosion. All of this also helps reduce street flooding and sedimentation
in streams.
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