New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Hamilton High School West

Hamilton High School West
2720 South Clinton Avenue, Hamilton, Mercer County, New Jersey 08610

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):

Jeremiah Bergstrom, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program
    

History:

The Hamilton High School West rain garden was installed to intercept, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff from a portion of the school's roof.

Staff from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program provided an in-school field trip that included an educational program for Hamilton High School West students who expressed an interest in the program. This educational program included a discussion on what a watershed is using an EnviroScape® model, an overview of rain gardens using a virtual rain garden simulator, a lesson on soils, and facts about the native plants that they installed in their school's rain garden.

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 the school building's roof through redirected downspouts.

Installation:

The rain garden was installed in April 2014 by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff and the Hamilton Township Department of Public Works staff. The Hamilton Township Department of Public Works excavated the rain garden with a backhoe.  Coarse sand and compost purchased from Greg's Landscaping were mixed into the native soil to help improve drainage and the quality of the soil.  Two downspouts that were originally directly connected to the sewer system were disconnected and redirected to the rain garden to serve as the inlets. An underdrain was installed and connected to the center downspout pipe to act as an overflow. With rain events over three inches, when the rain garden reaches capacity, this will allow the water to flow into the storm sewer system. The native plants that were installed by the students in May 2014 in this rain garden were purchased from Pinelands Nursery and Supply and Tony’s Farm & Garden Center.

Approval to install the rain garden was granted by the Principal at Hamilton High School West.  This rain garden was funded by a Sustainable Jersey Grant received by Hamilton Township.

Plant Layout:

Rain Garden Map

Rain Garden Parameters:

Rain garden size - 480 square feet

Drainage area - 1,605 square feet

Plant List:

Black-Eyed Susan
Common Three Square
New England Aster
Purple Coneflower
Switchgrass

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 staff and students at Hamilton High School West.

Photographs:

Click here for photographs of the Hamilton High School West rain garden.

Click here to view a video of the installation of the Hamilton High School West rain garden.