New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
C.O. Johnson Park

C.O. Johnson Park
Johnson Park Road, Byram, Sussex County, New Jersey 07821

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):

Jeremiah Bergstrom, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program
    

History:

The C.O. Johnson Park rain garden was installed to beautify the site and to intercept, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff from the adjacent parking lot.

This rain garden is part of a pilot Green Infrastructure Program sponsored by the Sussex County Division of Planning. The project was conducted throughout Sussex County to reduce impacts to waterways and communities from aging sewer infrastructure, flooding, and to promote groundwater infrastructure and recharge in support of the Water Supply planning goals of Sussex County. The program included a series of Green Infrastructure educational seminars, a Build a Rain Barrel Workshop, Rain Garden Training for Professional Landscapers Certificate Program, and the installation of four rain gardens.

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

Type of Runoff Managed:

This rain garden manages stormwater runoff coming from the parking lot.

Installation:

The rain garden was installed in June 2011 by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program staff and undergraduate student interns, attendees of the Sussex County Rain Garden Training for Professional Landscapers Certificate Program, and volunteers assocatied with Byram Township. Staff from the Byram Department of Public Works assisted with the labor of the rain garden by excavating and hauling away a portion of the native soil. Delaware River stone was used to line the inlet and overflow.  A three inch layer of hardwood mulch was spread throughout the rain garden. The native plants that were installed in this rain garden were purchased from Kuperus Farmside Gardens & Florist.

Approval to install the rain garden was granted by the Byram Township Environmental Commission and Green Team. This rain garden was funded by the Sussex County Division of Planning.

   

Plant Layout:

Rain Garden Map

Plant List:

Bayberry
Black-eyed Susan
Blue Flag Iris
Blue Lobelia
Joe-Pye Weed
New England Aster
New York Aster
Purple Coneflower
Softrush
Switchgrass
Turtlehead
Wild Bergamot

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 Byram Department of Public Works.

Photographs:

Click here for photographs of the C.O. Johnson Park rain garden.