The South Orange Environmental Commission and Green Team dedicated the Village’s new rain garden behind South Orange Middle School, along the East Branch of the Rahway River on Wednesday, October 15.
The rain garden is a stormwater management project that 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.
It will hold 3,000 gallons or up to 1 inch of rainfall during a storm – and 75 percent of storms in the area dump one inch or less of rain, said Kirk Barrett, president of the Rahway River Watershed Association and the engineer for the rain garden.
“There are typically about 100 rain storms each year, with most being small. These small storms generate polluted runoff,” he said. “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.”
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. It will not only help keep polluted water out of the Rahway, it will serve as a demonstration garden to encourage residents to create their own rain gardens at home, said Andy Stone, secretary of the Environmental Commission.
Barrett, Stone, Village Council Member Olivia Lewis-Chang, Kristy Ranieri of Sustainable Jersey and three South Orange Middle School students spoke of the environmental and educational benefits of the rain garden, including student involvement using new equipment to monitor the amount of water the Rain Garden keeps out of the Rahway.
“Last year, during the Rahway River Project, we learned that when it rains, water runs off our parking lot and roads and takes pollution straight into the river,” said 8th grader Emma Aylward . This garden is a solution. It’s not just pretty plants, it’s a living filter.”
Eighth grader LuLu Zimmerman said the garden and the monitoring equipment will let SOMS students “track in real time exactly how much water the garden is saving and cleaning. It’s an amazing new tool for our science classes.”
Maddie Brandt, also a SOMS 8th grader, said “hopefully this garden inspires everyone to start more green projects all over town.”
Council Member Lewis-Chang, on behalf of the Village, thanked everyone who helped make the Rain Garden a reality.
“I tend to be more philosophical. All life begins in water so this rain garden is so special to our environment,” said Council Member Olivia Lewis-Chang. ”…I ask that you talk to your children and grandchildren and begin to mentor the next generation of environmentalists.”
From left, Olivia Lewis-Chang, Andy Stone, Kirk Barrett, SOMS science students and teacher and Kristy Ranieri of Sustainable Jersey were on hand for the Rain Garden dedication and ribbon cutting. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
From left, Kirk Barrett, Council Member Olivia Lewis-Chang and Andy Stone address the audience at the Rain Garden Dedication event. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
SOMS students Emma Aylward Lulu Zimmerman and Maddie Brandt said they spent time studying the environment of the Rahway River and are excited about the learning experience the Rain Garden will provide. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
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