Panther Hollow Watershed Healthy Yards Rain Garden Workshop
Schenley Park Visitor Center Pittsburgh, PA October 28th, 2010
SEEDS is a MI based 501(c)3 non-profit research, design and educational institution
Helping communities make appropriate decisions about built and natural infrastructure
Agenda • • • • • • •
What is a rain garden? How does it function? Primary components of rain gardens Basics of rain garden design Demonstration of rain garden sizing Breakout into design teams Present preliminary rain garden designs
What is a Rain Garden?
A Rain Garden Is Not a Water Garden
NOT A RAIN GARDEN
What is a Rain Garden?
Simple Rain Gardens
Complex Rain Gardens
How Does A Rain Garden Function?
Function: Hydrology
Function: Ecology
Anatomy of a Rain Garden
Components: Collection/Conveyance
Components: Pond/Bed/Berm
Components: Soil
Components: Inlet & Outlet
Components: Plants
How to Realize a Rain Garden • Defining Your Project Goals • Choosing a Location • Sizing a Rain Garden • Designing a Rain Garden • Installing a Rain Garden • Care & Maintenance
Define Your Project Goals • • • • • •
Watershed protection Local flooding issues Habitat creation Aesthetic planting Education Reducing watering needs • Getting rid of your lawn • Community Building
Choose Your Location Site Assessment – Take Notes & Create a Site Sketch • Impervious areas • Downspout locations • Natural grade • Flow paths • Sunny/shady areas • Existing trees & plantings • Low spots & wet spots • Soils and permeability
Choose Your Location Do • Select a flat to gently sloping area (12% or less) • Place at least 10 feet from a basement foundation wall • Call PA ONE CALL, dial 8-1-1 during design and 3 days before you dig & ID private underground utilities • Choose an area that rain overflow will drain away responsibly
Don’t • Place in a naturally wet area • Place on area of shallow bedrock • Place close to a large retaining wall or steep slope • Place over a drinking water well, septic tank, or leach field • Remove trees or significantly disturb tree roots to plant a rain garden
Sizing: 1. Determine Drainage Area Calculate the drainage area flowing to your rain garden location. • Determine roof sections draining to each downspout or drip line • Determine direction of flow over sidewalks, driveways, decks, etc.
Sizing: 1. Determine Drainage Area Calculate the drainage area flowing to your rain garden location.
Length (ft) x Width (ft) = Area (ft2) Area 1 + Area 2 + Area 3 + Area n = Area total
Sizing: 2. Determine Soils Determine soil suitability and type.
Sizing: 2. Determine Soils Simple Infiltration Test 1. Dig a 6� deep hole and fill with water 2. If water is still standing after 24 hrs, choose a new location
Sizing: 2. Determine Soils Identify Soil Type w/ Ribbon Test 1. Moisten a ball of soil in your hand 2. Push the ball between thumb and forefinger to form a ¼” ribbon of uniform thickness and width until the ribbon breaks. SAND – no ribbon SILT – weak ribbon <1.5” CLAY – ribbon >1.5”
Sizing: 3. Determine Slope
Sizing: 3. Determine Slope Select the appropriate depth
Sizing: 4. Calculate Size Select the appropriate sizing factor
0.25
400 ft2
100 ft2
Sizing: Other Sizing Considerations • Overland Flow – if rainwater flows over 30ft or more of lawn to the rain garden may reduce area by up to 50% • Soil Amendments – if clay soils are amended with significant sand, compost, and mulch may reduce area by up to 30%
Design: 1a. Determine the Shape â&#x20AC;˘ Approaches
Design: 1b. Determine the Profile â&#x20AC;˘ Approaches
Design: 2a. Design the Entrance
Design: 2b. Design Outlet/Overflow
Design: 2c. Other Features
Design: 3. Select Plants Criteria • perennial • water tolerant • drought tolerant • hardiness zone • shade/sun tolerance • nativity
Design: 4. Draw Final Design Sketch
Build: When to Start? • 3 Days after you call PA One Call: 8-1-1 • Best in spring or fall • After you’ve enlisted help or a small excavator • After you’ve ordered materials • After you’ve determined where to put the sod and extra soil • Not when the soil is wet
Build: 1. Define the Borders
Build: 2. Remove the Grass
Build: 3. Start Digging
Build: 4. Level the Bed
Build: 5. Improve the Soil
Build: 6. Plant
Build: 7. Mulch
Care & Maintenance Adaptive Management
Water – new plants regularly until roots are established especially if planted during summer Weed – weeding will be necessary in the first few years; pay particular attention to invasives Mulching – maintain/add mulch to cover exposed soil especially on berms Berms – rebuild/maintain berms so that overflows occur at the intended outlet
Sizing Demonstration
Useful Resources Kansas City Rain Garden Plant Database http://www.rainkc.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.main/index.htm
Three Rivers Rain Garden Alliance http://raingardenalliance.org/
Vermont Rain Garden Manual http://www.vacd.org/~winooski/VtRainGardenManual.pdf
SEEDS Contact Information
Barton Kirk, EIT barton@ecoseeds.org 802-238-0813 cell 412-363-2813 office