Rain gardens: A beautiful solution to water pollution
WHAT IS A RAIN GARDEN?
A “rain garden” is simply a shallow depression in your yard that is planted with native plants to improve water quality. The rain garden is placed to collect water runoff from roofs, driveways, and lawns – to store it, allow it be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil.
Nutrients, sediments and other pollutants are removed or “filtered” as the runoff water comes in contact with the soil and plants in the rain garden. The first flush of rainwater accummulates in the depression of the rain garden. This first flush contains the highest concentration of polluting materials washed off roofs, roads, and parking lots.
Rain Gardens around the watershed
HISTORIC DANSBURY DEPOT
Kistler Avenue, East Stroudsburg
BWA volunteers planted this rain garden in October 2016, with site prep help from Ross & Ross Nursery of Cresco. The garden catches runoff from the Depot roof before it reaches the drain at center, allowing the soil to filter out pollutants before it reaches nearby Brodhead Creek.
Sue Czahor and Sharon Laverdure, BWA members, are the “rain garden guardians” here. They will water, weed and replace plants as necessary.
ANN STREET
Stroudsburg
BWA and Penn State Master Gardener volunteers planted this garden in downtown Stroudsburg in the fall of 2016. Created in partnership with Stroudsburg Borough, the garden catches runoff from the municipal parking garage before the polluted rainwater can reach nearby McMichael Creek.
RETRO FITNESS GARDEN
Route 611, Stroud Township, Pa.
Volunteers planted a huge garden with almost 100 plants in a formerly cemented area in front of Retro Fitness. The new rain garden will protect water quality in Flagler Run, part of the Pocono Creek watershed.
Volunteers included those from Brodhead Watershed Association, the Penn State Master Gardeners, Kevin Brody of Retro Fitness and Matt Thompson of Absolute Design.
Brody treated the crew to lunch at the nearby Spice Route restaurant that day — the hottest day in September 2016.
GLEN BROOK GOLF CLUB
Stroud Township, Pa.
The project includes a garden of native plants and a riparian buffer of trees arranged to catch rainwater and filter out roadway pollutants before it reaches nearby McMichael Creek.
“The rain garden area gets a lot of runoff from Glen Brook Road every time we receive moderate to heavy rain,” said Jeff Feick, golf course superintendent and BWA member.
Students from Blair Academy in New Jersey helped with the planting as part of their community service program.
East Stroudsburg High School South
or East Stroudsburg, Pa
Students in Pat Bixler’s Environmental Studies class helped with the planting, designed to catch runoff from the school parking lot. Play video or go to YouTube here.
For a printable list of the plants and information about their care, click here.
SARAH STREET GRILL
Stroudsburg, Pa.
In partnership with Sarah Street Grill and Ross and Ross Nursery, BWA created a garden to catch runoff from the restaurant’s roof and parking lot. The garden uses native plants.
BARRETT PARADISE FRIENDLY LIBRARY
Cresco, Pa.
Created in 2014 in partnership with the library, BWA planted two gardens to catch runoff from the library’s roof.
FOREVERGREEN NATURE PRESERVE/ BRODHEAD CREEK HERITAGE CENTER
Analomink, Pa.
A former golf course, the 40 acre ForEvergreen Nature Preserve is open to the public for walking, fishing (catch-and-release only), and eagle viewing. It is also the home of the Brodhead Watershed Association and Pocono Heritage Land Trust at the new Brodhead Creek Heritage Center. Two rain gardens are installed to capture and treat runoff from the Heritage Center roof, before the water can reach Brodhead Creek — a prime trout fishing spot. (Look for better pictures.)
Broad Street
In 2010, homeowners at 138 Broad Street received a 145 square foot rain garden extending along their front yard on the Clermont Avenue side. They selected a variety of flowering water-loving perennials and shrubs that will provide color spring, summer and fall. Three days after the garden was installed hurricane Nicole dumped 6 inches of rain which didn’t faze the garden.
Hemlock Road
Homeowners at 120 Hemlock Road received a 160 square foot kidney-shaped rain garden along the street front and parking area of their yard. The plants in their rain garden were also selected for a changing color display. This garden also handled hurricane Nicole well.
This is a Rain Garden…
This is a Rain Garden…Look for this sign at each garden, explaining its purpose.
RAIN GARDEN RESOURCES
- The Alliance Chesapeake Bay’s Reduce Your Stormwater website includes an excellent interactive garden design tool. (http://www.stormwater.allianceforthebay.org/)
- University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension’s Rain Garden Guide for Homeowners
- Rain Garden Network
- For information on how to build a rain garden of your own: Build-a-Rain-Garden.