New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Nottingham High School

Nottingham High School
1055 Klockner Road, Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey 08619

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 Nottingham High School 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 conducted an educational program for the Nottingham High School Environmental Science class. This educational program included a discussion about watersheds 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 via a redirected downspout.

Installation:

The rain garden was installed in August 2013 by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff and 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 Gregs Landscaping were mixed into the native soil to help improve drainage and the quality of the soil.  One downspout that was originally directly connected to the storm sewer system was disconnected and redirected to the rain garden to serve as the inlet. The native plants that were installed by the AP Biology students in September 2013 in this rain garden were purchased from Pinelands Nursery.

Approval to install the rain garden was granted by the Principal at Nottingham High School.  This rain garden was funded by Hamilton Township.

Plant Layout:

Rain Garden Map

Rain Garden Parameters:

Rain garden size - 625 square feet

Drainage area - 2,250 square feet

Plant List:

Black Gum
Blue Lobelia
Cardinal Flower
Goldenrod
Ironweed
New England Aster
Purple Coneflower
Soft Rush
Swamp Milkweed
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 Nottingham High School.

Photographs:

Click here for photographs of the Nottingham High School rain garden.

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