New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Joseph R. Bolger Middle School

   

    Joseph R. Bolger Middle School
    100 Palmer Place, Keansburg, Monmouth County, New Jersey 07734

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

 

    Google (TM) Map:


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    Site Contact(s):
   
    Bill Sciarappa and Vivian Quinn, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County
    
    History:

    The Joseph R. Bolger Middle School rain garden was installed as part of the
    Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County Rain Garden Program.  Two rain     gardens, side-by-side, were designed to be an interpretive education tool while        
    simultaneouly solving a difficult drainage problem in the courtyard, which also holds
    temporary classroom trailers.  Financial support was provided by grant funding from
    Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H and Verizon.  


    Type of Runoff Managed:

    This rain garden manages stormwater from the roof of the Joseph R. Bolger Middle
    School building.  In total, three downspouts from the building have been diverted
    into two rain gardens.  The courtyard often suffers from an ineffective drainage
    system that limits access and usage of the temporary classroom trailers.  By diverting
    a large portion of the rooftop runoff from the main building into rain gardens, the
    temporary classroom trailers are less susceptible to problems caused by storm
    events.


    Installation:

    Faculty, staff and Master Gardener volunteers from Rutgers Cooperative Extension
    provided technical assisstance in the site design, plant layout and installation    
    oversight of the project.  The school’s maintenance staff played an important role    
    during the planning and installation phase of the project.  Heavy excavation was
    performed with machinery operated (in-kind) by Vince Papa of the school's
    maintenance department.  A berm was installed for each rain garden.  The existing
    soil, which was high in clay, was removed and reused for each berm. 

    After excavation, the rain gardens were each installed with a gravel base layer and         backfilled (except for a ponding area) with a mixture of sand, topsoil and leaf
    compost. Using land survey equipment, care was taken to ensure that the slope of    
    the courtyard conveyed water from the downspouts into each rain garden.  After
    heavy excavation, plants and mulch were installed in addition to a walking path and a     fence. Native plants were generously donated by Pinelands Nursery.  Additional
    in-kind services were generously provided by Guardian Lawn Service.


    Plant Layout:

    Rain Garden Map  Coming Soon!

    Plant List  

        Arborvitae
        Black Eyed Susan
        Blue Flag Iris
        Blue Lobelia
        Blue Rug
        Butterfly Bush
        Chokeberry
        Cinnamon Fern
        Cypress
        Goldenrod
        Green Sedge
        Inkberry Holly
        Joe Pye Weed
        Little Blue Stem
        New York Aster
        River Birch      
        Soft Rush
        Swamp Milkweed  
        Sweet Pepperbush        
        Virginia Sweetspire
        Winterberry Holly       

    Click here to download Adobe Reader to view the rain garden map and the plant list
    fact sheets.
   
    Maintenance:
   
    The rain garden is maintained by the Master Gardeners of Monmouth County and the
    students and maintenance staff of Joseph R. Bolger Middle School.

    Photographs:

    Click here for photographs of the Joseph R. Bolger Middle School rain garden.