1. Rain Garden Demonstration Sites to Promote Groundwater Protection Madeline Flahive DiNardo, Agricultural Agent Amy Boyajian, Student Intern Dr. Christopher Obropta, Specialist in Water Quality Greg Rusciano, Program Associate in Water Quality

2. Rutgers Cooperative Extension What is a Rain Garden?

3. Rutgers Cooperative Extension What is a Rain Garden? Landscaped areas that treat stormwater runoff. Designed to merge two important goals: aesthetics and water quality. Can be blended into the landscape and made to look natural. Water is directed into them by pipes, swales, or curb openings.

4. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Project GOAL: To have the rain gardens serve as a model for county residents who are interested in controlling polluted runoff and to help recharge the groundwater FUNDING: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection grant to Rutgers Cooperative Extension and partial funding from the USDA Regional Water Coordination Program

5. Rutgers Cooperative Extension 2005 Storm Water Management Class Storm Water 101 Storm Water Best Management Practices (BMPs) Design and Implementation of Storm Water BMPs – Technical and Backyard Advice Rain Garden Maintenance and Long Term Success www.rwqp.rutgers.edu

6. Rutgers Cooperative Extension 2005 Rain Garden Partners Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County Rahway River Association

7. Rutgers Cooperative Extension 2005 Rain Garden Partners Walnut Avenue Elementary School, Cranford, NJ Hanson Park Conservancy Cranford, NJ

8. Rutgers Cooperative Extension 2005 Rain Garden Partners Fanwood Public LibraryFanwood Public Library Fanwood, NJ Woodbridge Health DepartmentWoodbridge Health Department Woodbridge, NJ Woodbridge, NJ

9. Rutgers Cooperative Extension 2005 Rain Garden Partners Support from Municipal Public Works Departments were Key to the Success of the Projects !

10. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Plantings

11. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Plantings Black-eyed Susan Cardinal Flower Swamp Rose Mallow

12. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Maintain Rain Gardens Watering Watering Weeding Weeding Pruning Pruning

13. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Maintenance

14. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Education Childrens Programs Walnut Avenue Elementary School Fanwood Library 85 students participated. Clean Up Messy Town Enviroscape Tour of Rain Garden

15. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Program Evaluation Identify sources of water pollution Identify sources of water pollution Identify ways to protect ground waterIdentify ways to protect ground water

16. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Education Evaluation Results Students could identify 50% more ways to protect ground water. Students could identify 50% more ways to protect ground water. On a scale of 1 -3, 3 indicating they learned a lot, students rated their learning about protecting ground water as 2.71 and rain gardens as 2.63. On a scale of 1 -3, 3 indicating they learned a lot, students rated their learning about protecting ground water as 2.71 and rain gardens as 2.63. 68% of the students will tell someone what they learned about rain gardens. 68% of the students will tell someone what they learned about rain gardens. 96% would like to learn more about protecting water.96% would like to learn more about protecting water.

17. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Education Evening tour of Fanwood Rain Garden Presentation on How to Build a Rain Garden Garden toursGarden tours Web site: www.fanwoodlibrary.org/ raingardenWeb site: www.fanwoodlibrary.org/ raingarden www.fanwoodlibrary.org/ raingarden www.fanwoodlibrary.org/ raingarden Fact sheetsFact sheets PosterPoster

18. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Program Evaluation Pre/Post Program Survey 10 True / False Questions Define Watershed Groundwater flow Parts of the rain garden Proper depth of garden Location of rain garden Maintenance tasks

19. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Program Evaluation Results 30 Adult participants improved their score by an average of 13%. Pre-program survey scores ranged from 40% to 90%. The average score was 63% and the mode was 60%. Post-program survey scores ranged from 70% to 100%. The average score was 78% and the mode was 70%.

20. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Program Evaluation Results Questions that participants improved their scores on were in regards to: –Parts of the rain garden –Proper depth of a rain garden –Care of native grasses –Limited use of fertilizers in rain gardens Follow-up survey looked at: –What participants learned –Number of rain gardens planted –Reasons participants may not have planted rain gardens

21. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Follow-up Survey Results Two residential gardens were planted. Two participants plan to install rain gardens. Reasons participants did not plant rain gardens: –Poor drainage on property –Labor –Cost

22. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Whats Next? Our fifth community demonstration garden was planted at the Springfield Municipal Building this spring. USDA CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Grant.

23. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Questions?

24. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Thank You !