Murray Street Demonstration Rain Gardens

Overview

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There are three Rain Gardens at this location! Each is adjacent and approximately 200 square feet from one another.

History:

Three rain gardens were installed on this vacant lot. The rain gardens are approximately 200 square feet each and were installed to intercept, treat and infiltrate stormwater runoff from an adjacent parking lot. The rain gardens serve to beautify the unused space in the City of Newark. According to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection landuse land cover data, over 85% of the City of Newark is considered impervious cover. As a result, sewer networks can become overwhelmed with stormwater runoff, causing localized flooding, combined sewer overflows, and ultimately a polluted Passaic River. To address the water quality issues associated with increased stormwater runoff, demonstration projects like these rain gardens are essential.

Type of Runoff Managed:

These three rain gardens manage stormwater runoff from an adjacent parking lot.

Installation:

These three rain gardens were excavated in November 2010 and planted in June 2011. Members of the Greater Newark Conservancy and participants in the Clean and Green: Newark's Transitional Jobs Program were trained in rain garden installation as part of a “green job” training workshop. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program conducted the training and supervised the work crew throughout the excavation process. These rain gardens were excavated by hand with shovels. Bank run sand and topsoil were added to improve both the infiltration rate and soil nutrient capacity of the rain gardens. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff and undergraduate student interns, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County, New Jersey Tree Foundation, Greater Newark Conservancy and students from the Miller Street School assisted with the rain garden planting. All plant materials were supplied by Pinelands Nursery and Supply. These rain gardens were installed as part of a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 319(h) grant entitled “Environmental Justice for the City of Newark: Stormwater Education and BMP Implementation to Control Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Discharges."

Plant List:

Black-eyed Susan
Blackhaw Viburnum
Blazing Star
New England Aster
Purple Coneflower

Maintenance:

These three rain gardens are maintained by the Greater Newark Conservancy.

The Everything Map
updated 03/2012 by rutgers.water.resources.program