ALJ Students Build Flood-Busting Garden

The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County teamed up with almost 200 Environmental Science students from Arthur L. Johnson High School this month to help reduce flooding and pollution in nearby Robinson’s Branch, by installing a new rain garden on the school grounds. The project was funded through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
 
“The Extension helps to connect our residents with economical, science based solutions for the challenges of today, and we are very proud to support its efforts,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “This partnership between the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, the Township of Clark, and the State of New Jersey will hopefully serve as the model for future stormwater management projects throughout Union County.”
 
The Clark Public Works department provided tools for the planting, helped excavate the new 360 square foot rain garden, and installed soil amendments to improve drainage.
 
Rain gardens are designed to help reduce local and regional flooding problems, by creating a space in which excess stormwater can drain naturally into the soil. The new rain garden will help serve a number of educational purposes while helping to absorb stormwater from the Clark Public Works parking lot adjacent to the school.
 
The new rain garden also features native shrubs and grasses that help promote biodiversity, provide habitats for beneficial wildlife, improve stormwater drainage, and filter out contaminants.
 
Future plans for the site include harvesting rainwater from the roof of the Clark Public Works building next to the school. The water will be used for a “green” car wash for student fund-raising projects. Runoff will flow into the rain garden instead of going to the storm drain.
 
The ALJ project is the first part of a larger program called the Robinson’s Branch Stormwater Management Implementation Project. It is collaboration between Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, Rutgers Water Resources Program, the Township of Clark, and the City of Rahway.
 
Robinson’s Branch is a major tributary of the Rahway River. Scotch Plains, Edison, Woodbridge, Plainfield, Fanwood, Westfield, Clark and Rahway are all included in the Robinson’s Branch watershed.
 
Much of the watershed is covered by developed surfaces including lawns and playing fields as well as streets, parking lots, and buildings. Instead of soaking into the ground, water runs from these areas into storm drains. The excess surface runoff contributes to flooding and carries pollutants including car care products, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, dog and goose waste, oil, and grease.
 
Rain gardens and other “green” infrastructure solutions such as rain barrels, cisterns, and porous paving surfaces can help prevent these pollutants from reaching natural waterways, in addition to reducing the threat of flooding.

“The other environmental science teachers and I were very happy to have student involvement in the rain garden project – the project provides a hands-on real life experience that relates directly to our new environmental science curriculum,” said teacher Suzanne Nagourney. “Learning about a local environmental problem and having the opportunity to be a part of a solution provides an invaluable lesson in real world environmental issues.”