Linear Rain Gardens Trap Pollution

-Submitted by Kay Schultz
Community Restoration Coordinator
Frederick County Watershed
Management Section

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Wednesday morning October 31st dawned crisp and clear as Frederick County Park and Recreation Division staff members Jason Jenkins and Mark Wisner started excavating a series of three linear rain gardens at Libertytown Park to filter storm water from the park’s parking lot.

Bryan Seipp, the Potomac Conservancy’s Director of Restoration designed and staked out the gardens and was present to supervise the construction process.  An electric line supplying a Park light was encountered under the first garden area, requiring an adjustment in its depth from 2’ to 1.5’ and an increase in the size of the third garden area from 10 x 40 to 10 x 60’ to fully utilize the 100 tons of soil/sand mix and achieve the same filtering function.

Confirming the old adage that whatever can go wrong will go wrong; Jason found that the Division’s backhoe was not working properly at the beginning of the week.  He was able to rent another that performed well, operated by members of his team including Mike Wisner, the foreman for Libertytown Park.

 

Mike Hopper, Nathan Spencer, Matt Mckee, and John Sprinkle joined the team after they completed their duties opening other parks.  They excavated the three garden areas, the second and third averaging 2’ deep.  They assisted with spreading the 100 tons of biofilter sand and soil mix delivered by Green Cycle Industries.

 

After excavating the clay soil, the sand soil mix was moved into each of the three garden areas and then shaped into a swale by hand raking.

 

Once the soil mixture was in place and shaped appropriately, a heavy geotextile material was inserted along the base of the swale and covered with Delaware River stone. The # 1 – 5 Delaware River stone was placed in the swale by machine and then adjusted by hand by team members.

 

Neighborhood volunteers, Earlene, Dan and Kayla Duncan assisted with the project.  Team members planted 120 native shrubs from American Natives and Clear Ridge Nursery once the soil mix, filter cloth and stone were in position.  Additional shrubs and herbaceous plants will be added in the spring.

 

Following planting, team members mulched the area with help from Joshua Duncan.

 

Followed by watering the newly planted plants, again helped by youngest team member, Joshua Duncan.