Rain gardens are depressions built into the ground that capture water and improve water quality. Rain gardens improve water quality by allowing the water to slowly filter threw the soil and compost base.  Rain gardens are also very esthetically pleasing.  Rain gardens can be tailored to match your homes current landscape.  Below is a link that will show you how to properly design and install a rain garden in your yard.  

Bioretention cells are similar to rain gardens in that they both have vegetative plants in them and use a mixture of soil and compost to filter the stormwater.  Bioretention cells however have an underground drainage that allows the filtered stormwater to drain into the storm sewer.  Bioretention cells can also use larger types of vegetation, like trees and shrubs, in the area for diversity.  They can also cover more area than a rain garden to help capture more stormwater.    

Rain barrels are attachments that go on your downspouts. Rain barrels accumulate the stormwater from rain events.  The homeowner could use the captured stormwater for gardens, plantings, etc.  Rain barrels allow the homeowner the ability to recycle the captured stormwater and cut down on the homeowner’s water bill.  This process will also lessen the amount of runoff the storm drain will receive every rain event.

Permeable pavers are pavers with gaps between them allowing the water to travel threw them.  Permeable pavers still stabilize the area, but with the added benefit of having the water flow threw the surface and not just over it.  Permeable pavers lessen the amount of impervious surface area on your lot, which means that during rain events less stormwater runoff will come from your property.

Native prairies are very beneficial to the wildlife and also to water quality.  Like rain gardens, stormwater filters threw the soil and improve the water quality.  With a little maintenance prairies can make landscapes really something to enjoy.