From the South Orange Environmental Commission:
The South Orange Environmental Commission and Green Team will dedicate a new rain garden along the East Branch of the Rahway River next to the South Orange Middle School on October 15, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.
This stormwater management project will absorb about 250,000 gallons of stormwater runoff over a typical year that would otherwise flow into the Rahway River, diminishing water quality and contributing to flooding, according to a release from the Environmental Commission.
Co-sponsored by South Orange Village and the Rahway River Watershed Association, the rain garden is funded by the Village and a Sustainable Jersey Grant from the PSEG Foundation. Garden design and planting assistance was provided by the Founders Park Conservancy. The South Orange and Maplewood School District is also participating.
“During a typical rainstorm, millions of gallons of water drain from roofs, streets and parking lots, carrying oils, metals, pet waste, and trash directly into the Rahway River.,” said Andy Stone, secretary of the Environmental Commission. “This new rain garden will collect a large quantity of water from the Middle School parking lot, filtering out pollutants, before the water drains to the river.”
“Replicating this model on residential properties and streets throughout our community will help clean the river and restore habitat,” Stone said. “The location of the new rain garden, adjacent to the South Orange Middle School, allows us to involve the next generation in managing stormwater and improving our waterways.”
The South Orange rain garden planting crew from left: Jessica Miller, Bill Haskins, Chris Black, Elizabeth Payne, Daniel Wright, Kirk Barrett (not shown: Tekla Pontius-Courtney). (Photo by Andy Stone)
South Orange resident Dr. Kirk Barrett, president of the Rahway River Watershed Association and the engineer for the rain garden, said, “There are typically about 100 rain storms each year, with most being small. These small storms generate polluted runoff. The rain garden will intercept this runoff and allow most of it to soak into the ground, capturing the pollution, with the cleaned water flowing slowly through the ground into the river. We are installing instruments to monitor water depth. Students from SOMS and CHS will help with data retrieval and analysis to determine what volume of runoff is captured.”
South Orange Village Council Member Olivia Lewis-Chang said the Council was “happy to have allocated funding for this important project, and we are grateful to the Department of Public Works for providing assistance.”
The Village is now in the middle of a detailed review of its stormwater system, Lewis-Chang said, which is leading to some recommendations for enhancing the system.
“I am hopeful that this rain garden effort, led by our dedicated volunteers, can be a model for future cooperation between the Village and the Environmental Commission and Green Team on additional green infrastructure projects to absorb stormwater,” she said. “As Jacques Cousteau said, “‘We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.’”
If there is a storm on October 15, the event will be moved to October 17 — but only for a storm, Stone said. If there is light rain or drizzle, Stone said, the event will take place as scheduled on the 15th.
Volunteers Chris Black and Tekla Pontius-Courtney add the finishing touches to the rain garden. (Photo by Andy Stone)
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