Luzerne County is starting work on the installation of a 16,000-square-foot rain garden in front the county’s Operations Building in Wyoming and expects to finish the project by May 15.
“This is a major undertaking by the County for an environmentally friendly project that will benefit not only the area around the building but also reduce runoff into the nearby waterways,” County Manager Romilda Crocamo said in a news release. “But what we are most excited about is to share this garden with the public so they can learn more about its ecological purpose and how it benefits the environment. We hope to have school students tour it for educational purpose also.”
The rain garden will include plants that help absorb and filter stormwater runoff. Groundwork to prepare the soil is underway.
Delaware Environmental Construction Services is working on the project under a contract of up to $60,300. The county received bids for the project last August.
The project is funded by the county Office of Solid Waste & Recycling Management through grant reimbursements from the DEP. Work on the rain garden is estimated to take about three or four weeks.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, rain gardens are designed to capture and filter stormwater from roofs, paved surfaces and lawns. Many are planted with native vegetation and host pollinators to enhance insect life.
They reduce flooding and erosion, remove pollutants from water and provide habitats for pollinators while enhancing landscapes and trapping sediment before they reach local waterways and storm drains. Rain gardens typically dry out within 24 hours of a storm, which prevents the breeding of mosquitoes.
The county’s new rain garden in Wyoming will feature a water filtration system to protect both Abraham’s Creek and the Susquehanna River, which are the closest waterways to the building, from runoff and sediment. It will contain native Pennsylvania plants — such as Black-Eyed Susan, Bee Balm, Asters & Goldenrod — and also have two pollinator gardens, several types of trees and a walking path with educational markers to provide information on the benefits of the garden.
Luzerne County is starting work on the installation of a 16,000-square-foot rain garden in front the county’s Operations Building in Wyoming and expects to finish the project by May 15.
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