Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station [Water Resources Program]

Rain Gardens


New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Sumner Elementary School

 

Rain Garden located closest to South 8th Street, installed June 2010.

Rain Garden located closest to school, installed June 2011.


Sumner Elementary School
1600 South 8th Street, Camden, Camden County, New Jersey 08104

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 Sumner Elementary School rain gardens were installed to beautify the site and to intercept, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff from the roof of the school. The stormwater from the roof enters the rain gardens through redirected downspouts.

Two 2011 fourth grade classes, participated in the Stormwater Management in Your School Yard educational program that was designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply their science, math, and communication skills to real-world environmental problems through the building of a rain garden on the Sumner Elementary School’s campus. The Stormwater Management in Your School Yard educational program focused on increasing the fourth grade students’ environmental awareness in hope they will teach others in their communities about the importance of water quality and quantity. The students completed the nine module program, that included the installation of the 2011 Rain Garden.

These rain gardens help mitigate nuicance flooding in the area and help reduce nonpoint source pollution and stormwater that would otherwise discharge into the City of Camden's combined sewer system.

These rain gardens are 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 these rain garden are essential.

Type of Runoff Managed:

These rain gardens manage stormwater runoff from the roof of the school. The school's front downspouts have been disconnected from the City of Camden's combined sewer system and have been redirected to the rain gardens.


Installation:

The rain garden installed June 2010 was completed with assisatance by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden County, Camden County Soil Conservation District, and the 6th grade students of Sumner Elementary School. Staff from the Camden County Parks Department assisted with the labor of excavating the rain garden by using a backhoe to remove a portion of the native soil. A trench was dug starting at the downspout, and was extended under the sidewalk to the rain garden area. Flexible corrugated PVC pipe was laid in the trench to allow the water coming from the downspout to feed into the rain garden. A catch basin kit was then connected to the flexible corrugated PVC pipe to allow the runoff to enter the rain garden. The native plants that were installed in this rain garden were purchased from Pinelands Nursery and Supply.

The June 2011 rain garden was installed by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden County, Camden County Soil Conservation District, and by the 4th grade students of Sumner Elementary School. Staff from the Camden County Parks Department assisted with the labor of excavating the rain garden by using a backhoe to remove a portion of the native soil. A trench was dug starting at the downspout, and was extended to the rain garden area. Flexible corrugated PVC pipe was laid in the trench to allow the water coming from the downspout to feed into the rain garden. A catch basin kit was then connected to the flexible corrugated PVC pipe to allow the runoff to enter the rain garden. The native plants that were installed in this rain garden were purchased from Popes' Gardens and Pinelands Nursery and Supply.

Approval to install the rain gardens was granted by the Sumner Elementary School's Principal. These rain gardens were funded by a 319(h) grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
   


  Plant Layout:

2010 Rain Garden Map

2011 Rain Garden Map Coming Soon!

Plant List:

2010 Rain Garden Plants

Coreopsis
Blazing Star
Inkberry Holly
New England Aster
Purple Coneflower
Seaside Goldenrod
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp Rose
Sweet Pepperbush

2011 Rain Garden Plants

Bayberry
Blue Mistflower
Goldenrod
Hosta
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
New England Aster
Purple Coneflower
Swamp Verbena
Sweet Pepperbush/Summersweet

 

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

Maintenance:
   
These rain gardens are maintained by the maintenance department at the Sumner Elementary School.


Photographs & Videos:

Click here for photographs of the Sumner Elementary School rain gardens.

Click here for a documentary video about the 2010 rain garden.

Click here for a documentary video about the 2011 rain garden.

These videos were prepared by students at Urban Promise Academy in Camden, New Jersey.

 


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