New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Pennsauken Campus of Camden County Technical Schools (Penn Tech)

Pennsauken Campus of Camden County Technical Schools (Penn Tech)
6008 Browning Road, Pennsauken, Camden County, New Jersey 08109

Google (TM) Map	Site Contact(s)	History	Runoff Managed
Installation	Plant Layout	Maintenance	Photographs

 

Google (TM) Map:

View New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens in a larger map

Site Contact(s):

Mike Haberland, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden and Burlington Counties
    

History:

The Penn Tech rain garden was installed to intercept, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff from a portion of a roof of one of the campus' buildings. This rain garden is also being used to conduct research on the efficiency of the rain garden.

The 2012 ninth and tenth grade Green Technology students participated in the Introduction to Sustainable Stormwater Management Design educational program provided by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program. This educational program was designed to supplement the existing Green Technology curricula with real-world applications and experiences. The Introduction to Sustainable Stormwater Management Design educational program focused on increasing the students understanding of sustainable landscaping practices that they can do at home in hope they will teach others in their communities about the importance of water quality and quantity. The students completed the five module program that included the design and installation of a rain garden on the Penn Tech campus.

This rain garden is part of the Cooper River Watershed. The Cooper River watershed is characterized by extensive residential and commercial development, and as a result, its streams are severely impacted by increased stormwater runoff. To address the water quality issues associated with increased stormwater runoff, demonstration projects like this rain garden are essential.

Type of Runoff Managed:

This rain garden manages stormwater runoff from a portion of a roof of one of the campus' buildings via a redirected downspout.

Installation:

The rain garden was installed in May 2012 by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff and Penn Tech faculty, staff, and students. Staff from Penn Tech's Building and Grounds Department volunteered their time and labor to excavate the rain garden. A three inch layer of mulch was spread throughout the rain garden after planting.

A corrugated PVC pipe was attached to the downspout and was buried underground and directed into the rain garden to serve as the inlet. A piece of corrugated and perforated PVC pipe was laid in a stone channel in the center of the rain garden. This pipe directs the stormwater to a sump basin which will be used to collect the stormwater from the rain garden. The stormwater will then be tested to determine the efficiency of the rain garden. The native plants that were installed in this rain garden were purchased from Pinelands Nursery & Supply, while additional perennials were bought at Home Depot.

Approval to install the rain garden was granted by the Principal of Penn Tech. This rain garden was funded by a 319(h) grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Plant Layout:

Rain Garden Map

Plant List:

Big Bluestem
Blazing Star
Blue Flag Iris
Boneset
Columbine
Red-osier Dogwood
Salvia
Soft Rush
Sweet Pepperbush

Click here to download Adobe Reader to view the rain garden map and the plant list fact sheets.
 

Maintenance:

This rain garden is maintained by the Penn Tech Buildings and Grounds Department as well as the Green Technology students.

Photographs:

Click here for photographs of the Penn Tech rain garden.