LEED Green Associate Practice Test

What is a rain garden designed to do?

1. Provide a recreational area for the community

2. Catch and slow rainwater

3. Serve as a native plant nursery

4. Filter pollutants from groundwater

The correct answer is: Catch and slow rainwater

A rain garden is primarily designed to catch and slow rainwater, allowing it to infiltrate into the soil rather than quickly running off into storm drains. This method of managing stormwater is essential in reducing flooding and erosion, while also enhancing groundwater recharge. By slowing the movement of rainwater, rain gardens help to manage water quality by filtering out pollutants naturally through the soil layer, though filtering pollutants is more of a secondary benefit rather than the primary purpose. While a rain garden might sometimes provide a recreational area for the community, it is not specifically designed for this purpose. Similarly, while it may feature native plants that can serve as a nursery, that is not its primary function. Though rain gardens do play a role in filtering pollutants, the main goal lies in capturing and managing rainwater effectively.