Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station [Water Resources Program]

Rain Gardens

New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Trojan Avenue, Hills of Troy

rain garden Trojan Ave

Trojan Avenue, Hills of Troy
11 Trojan Avenue, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris County, New Jersey 07054

Google (TM) Map Site Contact(s) History Runoff Managed
Installation Plant Layout Maintenance Photographs


Google (TM) Map:


View New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens in a larger map


Site Contact(s):

Pat Rector, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County
    


History:

The Trojan Avenue, Hills of Troy rain garden was installed to intercept, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff from the home's front roof.

This is one of five residential rain gardens installed within the Hills of Troy neighborhood, located in the Troy Brook Watershed. There are approximately 137 homes in the neighborhood, and five of eight residents willing to participate in our disconnection project were found to have properties suitable to receive a demonstration rain garden.

By installing these rain gardens, over 2,500 square feet of impervious area has been disconnected in the Hills of Troy neighborhood. The five rain gardens together capture over 61,000 gallons of runoff on an annual basis.

To address the water quality issues associated with increased stormwater runoff, demonstration projects like these rain gardens are essential.


Type of Runoff Managed:

This rain garden manages stormwater runoff from four downspouts located in the front portion of the home.


Installation:

This rain garden was installed in October 2010 by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff and interns, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County, a Morris County Master Gardener, and the New Jersey Tree Foundation’s Green Streets Program. The rain garden was excavated by using a skid steer to remove the top layer of sod, and then shovels were used to reach the appropriate depth. Next, top soil was added to the remaining soil to improve both the rain garden’s infiltration rate and soil nutrient capacity.

An additional downspout was installed on this home to collect all the runoff that hits the front side of the house. All the front downspouts release into two underground pipes that serve as the rain garden's inlet.

A three inch layer of triple shredded hard wood mulch was spread throughout the rain garden to help prevent weed growth. The native plants installed in the rain garden were purchased from Pinelands Nursery & Supply

This rain garden was funded by a 319(h) grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.


Plant Layout:

Rain Garden Map ~ Coming Soon!

Rain Garden Parameters:

Rain garden size - 290 square feet

Drainage area - 975 square feet

Plant List:

Beebalm
Blue Flag Iris
Blue Lobelia
Boneset
Brown-eyed Susan
Mountain Mint
New England Aster
Swamp Sunflower

Click here to download Adobe Reader to view the rain garden map and the plant list fact sheets.
 


Maintenance:

This rain garden is maintained by the homeowner.


Photographs:

Click here for photographs of the Trojan Avenue, Hills of Troy residential rain garden.

 


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