NY: Ardsley: Ardsley Middle School Rain Garden

Village of Ardsley Phase II Stormwater Management Raingarden Project The EPA Stormwater Management Program aims to clean up the waters of the US. We can all help by trying to keep more water on our property so it gets a chance to sink back into the ground... More

Village of Ardsley Phase II Stormwater Management Raingarden Project The EPA Stormwater Management Program aims to clean up the waters of the US. We can all help by trying to keep more water on our property so it gets a chance to sink back into the ground instead of washing over the street and into the storm drain. One way to collect runoff is with a raingarden. Raingardens are level planting beds, about 4 to 8 inches deep, which collect runoff. They should be at least 10 feet from the foundation of the house, preferably on a shallow slope. You can direct your downspouts to drain into them. There is a terrific manual with details at http://www. dnr. state. wi. us/org/water/wm/dsfm/shore/documents/rgmanual. pdf We installed a small (10 ft width X 7 ft length) demonstration raingarden at AMS. It is located on MacCormack Drive on the west side of the entrance. (See picture below) We excavated the planting bed to a depth of 8 inches and leveled it as needed with additional soil. E Less