Increasing urbanization means more impermeable surfaces like roofs and roads, which gives rainwater less chance to absorb into the ground before entering sensitive habitat or coming into contact with humans.  Giving rainwater a chance to absorb into the soil not only recharges aquifers but also reduces its impact on the watershed below.

Facilitating awareness of rainwater infiltration in communities impacted by less-frequent, more-intense rainfall events associated with climate change allows community members to take control of their climate future.  By infiltrating rainwater locally, communities benefit from a free natural resource to improve their local native ecosystems and strengthen themselves against climate impacts. 

Using infiltration basins to trap rainwater gives the water time to absorb into the ground and allows low-water native plants to thrive in the basin.  After entering the underground aquifer instead of running into the watershed, the rainwater maintains soil moisture beneath the basin and supports a vibrant native ecosystem above.

Rainwater can be used to irrigate a wide variety of native trees and shrubs, whose roots then open up the soil and allow it to infiltrate greater quantities of water.  Since native plant communities are adapted to local rainfall patterns, they are much more likely to create a thriving ecosystem than non-native species.