Education Materials To Help You Get Involved

 

Rain Gardens

What is a Rain Garden?

A rain garden is a landscaped, shallow depression that allows for rain and runoff to be collected and then either infiltrates into the soil or evapotranspirates to the atmosphere. Rain gardens reduce the quantity of water that reaches our waterways and improve the quality of water by filtering polluted runoff. During rainstorms, much of the water quickly washes into the streets from yards, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. This water carries many pollutants including pesticides, fertilizers, animal waste, and chemicals. Excessive runoff can lead to flooding and can erode stream banks, adding sediment to waterways.

Rain gardens are designed to collect runoff from roofs, lawn, driveways, or sidewalks, or any combination of those. The size and depth of the garden will be determined by the volume of runoff that will reach the garden and the soil texture of the site. Rain garden plants should be native hardy perennial species that can survive in both wet and dry conditions. Some rain garden maintenance will be required, including weeding, pruning, and removing sediment that accumulates.

Contact New Jersey's "One Call" system at 1-800-272-1000 for a free markout of underground gas, water, sewer, cable, telephone, and electric utility lines prior to any outdoor construction or digging.

Rain Garden Resources

Rutgers Water Resources Program - Rain Gardens Information
Rutgers Water Resources Program - Rain Garden Brochure
Native Plant Society of New Jersey

Rain Garden Projects

Manalapan Brook - Thompson Park Rain Garden (installed April 2010)

• Sentinel article
• NJtoday.net article
• Photo Gallery
• Fact Sheet - Rain Garden and Manalapan Brook Project

Peters Brook - Van Derveer Rain Gardens (installed June 2010)

• Van Derveer Rain Garden Design
• Pre-installation article on nj.com
• Press release
• Fact Sheet - Rain Gardens and River-Friendly Schools Program
• Van Derveer Rain Garden photo gallery
• Regional Center Partnership article (on page 2)
  

Van Derveer rain garden #1 three months after planting, August 2010	Van Derveer rain garden #2 after small storm event, June 2010