DNREC's Watershed Stewardship works with Lewes
students to build rain garden at Fred Thomas School

LEWES (Nov. 3, 2011) – Over two weeks in October, DNREC staff and students at the Sussex Consortium’s Fred Thomas School in downtown Lewes worked together to build a rain garden on the school grounds to handle stormwater runoff from the school’s roof. Last week, students spread the last of the mulch on the 130-square foot garden.

Rain gardens are shallow depressions constructed near a runoff source – a downspout, driveway or paved surface – with soil that drains quickly and deep-rooted native plants and grasses that naturally absorb water faster and better than a typical lawn. These plantings also help filter out the pollutants that rainwater picks up from buildings, roads, parking lots and other impervious surfaces – pollutants that otherwise may end up in our waterways.

“This rain garden will help absorb and filter about 1,560 square feet of roof runoff – that’s nearly 970 gallons during a 1-inch rainstorm – as well as becoming a unique and attractive new feature on the school grounds,” said DNREC Environmental Scientist Lara Allison, who acted as project designer of the rain garden. “The students definitely got excited and had a good time working with us on this project,” she added.

Using DNREC staff, resources and equipment helped keep construction costs under $500. The project was federally funded through DNREC’s Nonpoint Source Program from the EPA’s Rain Gardens for the Bays campaign. In addition to Allison’s engineering work, the Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Drainage Section constructed the garden, and the Watershed Assessment Section completed the soil work.

Eight students ages 8 to 12 helped plant more than 80 native plants – marsh marigold, wild ginger, monkey flower, great blue lobelia, swamp milkweed, cinnamon fern and black chokeberry. “We’re very into gardening,” said teacher Linda Romanowski, noting they planted a school vegetable garden and began planning the rain garden last year. “Mulching was the best part,” she added.

Vol. 41, No. 423