It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Make Your Own Rain Gauge!}

April showers bring May flowers and it's certainly been sprinkling around Frannie's pond! Rain gauges are an excellent way to measure how much precipitation your outdoor plants are receiving and help save you money so you only water your lawn and garden when needed.

Here's how you can make your own. To start, you'll need:

• A plastic bottle with a flat bottom
• Scissors 
• A ruler
• A permanent marker
• Stickers (optional)

Here's what you do:
1. Begin by removing all the labeling and cleaning the plastic bottle.

2. Take the scissors and the cut off approximately the top third of the bottle.

3. Flip the top third of the bottle upside down and insert it into the plastic bottle.

4. Using the ruler, mark 1/4", 1/2", and 1" increments starting from the bottom of the plastic bottle. For more fun, use stickers and markers to decorate your rain gauge.

5. Place your rain gauge outside. You can use twine to tie it to a post, bury it, or use another method to ensure it stays upright.

6. Check your rain gauge after a storm to see how much rain has fallen.

Take a picture of your rain gauge and share it with Frannie at hydro@groundwater.org!