New Jersey Demonstration Rain Gardens ~
Joseph R. Bolger Middle School

   

    Joseph R. Bolger Middle School
    100 Palmer Place, Keansburg, Monmouth County, New Jersey 07734

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

 

    Google (TM) Map:


View Larger Map
    Site Contact(s):
   
    Bill Sciarappa and Vivian Quinn, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County
    
    Background:

    The Joseph R. Middle School rain garden was installed as part of the Rutgers
    Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County Rain Garden Program.  Two rain gardens,     side-by-side, were designed to be an interpretive education tool while simultaneouly
    solving a difficult drainage problem in the courtyard, which also holds temporary
    classroom trailers.  Financial support was provided by grant funding from Rutgers
    Cooperative Extension 4-H and Verizon.  



    Type of Runoff Managed:

    This rain garden manages stormwater from a portion the Joseph R. Middle School's
    rooftop.  In total, three downspouts from the building have been diverted into two
    rain gardens.  The courtyard often suffers from an ineffective drainage system that
    limits access and usage of the temporary classroom trailers.  By diverting a large
    portion of the rooftop runoff from the main building into rain gardens, the temporary
    classroom trailers are less frequently suseptible to problems caused by storm events.


    Installation:

    Faculty, staff and Master Gardener volunteers from Rutgers Cooperative Extension
    provided technical assitance in the site design, plant layout and installation oversight
    of the project.  The school’s maintenance staff played an important role during the
    planning and installation phase of the project.  Heavy excavation was performed with
    machinery operated (in-kind) by Vince Papa of the school's maintenance department. 
    A berm was installed for each rain garden.  The existing soil, which was high in clay,
    was removed and reused for each berm.  After excavation, the rain gardens were
    each installed with a gravel base layer and backfilled (except for a ponding area) with     a mixture of sand, topsoil and leaf compost.  Using land survey equipment, care was
    taken to ensure the slope of the courtyard conveyed water from the downspouts into     each rain garden.  After heavy excavation, plants and mulch were installed in addition     to a walking path and a fence.

    Native plants were generously donated by Pinelands Nursery.  Additional in-kind
    services were generously provided by Guardian Lawn Service.


    Plant Layout:

    Rain Garden Map  Coming Soon!

    Plant List  

        Arborvitae
        Black Eyed Susan
        Blue Flag Iris
        Blue Lobelia
        Blue Rug
        Butterfly Bush
        Chokeberry
        Cinnamon Fern
        Cypress
        Goldenrod
        Green Sedge
        Inkberry Holly
        Joe Pye Weed
        Little Blue Stem
        New York Aster
        River Birch      
        Soft Rush
        Swamp Milkweed    
        Sweet Pepperbush        
        Virginia Sweetspire
        Winterberry Holly       

    Click here to download Adobe Reader to view the rain garden map and the plant list
    fact sheets.
   
    Maintenance:
   
    The rain garden is maintained by the Master Gardeners of Monmouth County and the
    students and maintenance staff of Joseph R. Bolger Middle School.

    Photographs:

    Click here for photographs of the Joseph R. Bolger Middle School rain garden.