Schools are good locations for rain gardens because...
- They have substantial areas of impervious surface
- Many unused areas are available for rain gardens
- Most schools have severe drainage problems that rain gardens can improve
- Rain gardens provide educational opportunities
- Research shows green areas improve the health and test scores of students.
- At schools, your message reaches students, parents, teachers, and officials.
Below I've listed 9 Madison schools with locations for rain gardens.
The $5,000 available from the City could be used for purchasing plants and a permanent sign. It's probable that the City would dig the basins, provide improved soil, construct the necessary inlets, and haul away the dirt. However, it's important that the school or MMSD initiate the project.
The PTOs for these schools might help organize planting on a weekend. I know teachers in all of these schools (except Maria Goretti), whom I could contact to get the ball rolling. I suspect Wild Ones might partner with FoLW to supervise planting at one or more of these schools.
Midvale Elementary School
This location is high priority because it's within the Wingra watershed, and it's a very straightforward location with easy access for heavy equipment.
Location: at the SE corner of the school property, where the teacher's parking lot opens onto Caromar Dr. There is ample space for a very large rain garden fed by runoff from the large adjacent parking lot. Gentle slopes would feed water directly into the garden. The location is occupied by turf, with no competing uses. It's at the edge of the Lake Wingra watershed.
Phil Gabler has looked at the location and agrees it's good for a rain garden. He said the City could construct the basin and haul away the earth--
When I contacted teachers, they did not want to make it a school project (with planting and other activities by students), because with Caromar Drive close by, they felt it wasn't safe for students.
Photos below show the location from different angles.
Looking from Caromar NNE into the parking area. Potential garden location is on the left.
Looking south from the entrance to the parking area. Caromar Dr. is on the left.
Looking W into the parking area.
Looking E toward Caromar Dr. The garden location is just right of center in the rear. The garden would receive runoff from this entire parking area.
Stephens Elementary School
This school is most in need of stormwater control. Soil under a grove of trees is eroding and dumping sediment onto a nearby street.
Stephens is located on a hillside where runoff from most of the school's land feeds toward a large parking area, and then through a grove of fir trees to Cable Ave. Stormwater is eroding soil under the trees and dumping sediment and leaves onto the street. So, this school with slopes really needs control of stormwater. There used to be a small rain garden between the parking lot and the trees, but it has since been destroyed.
About 4 years ago, teachers at Stephens asked me to help them with a rain garden, but I wasn't available then. Phil Gaebler has seen this location at the bottom the parking lot and agrees it's a good spot.
Because most of the runoff from school grounds empties via the parking area, it would be smart to have some gardens upstream to capture runoff before it even gets to the parking area.
Former rain garden, which no longer exists, at the lower edge of the parking area.
Swale at the south boundary of the school, where stormwater begins to gather.
Looking downhill towards the old rain garden location. The swale could be a garden location to capture some of the runoff.
Looking east towards where the stormwater drains through the trees. There is room for large rain gardens both uphill and downhill from the trees.
Wright Middle School
Located next to Wingra Creek; students have canoe outings on the creek. School grounds are low-lying and adjacent to the Arboretum.
These broad terraces along Fish Hatchry Rd. would be ideal for large rain gardens. They have stormwater inlets that could be incorporated as "overflow" outlets for the gardens.
Looking toward the Wright School parking area, with Fish Hatchery Rd behind. A rain garden here would take runoff from the entire parking lot, plus sidewalk.
Edgewood High School
The whole Edgewood campus, including the college and various schools, has many opportunities. There are already some rain gardens, but there are locations for many more, especially in swales.
These downspouts could empty into small rain gardens.
More photos show turf depressions surrounded by pavement--ideal locations for rain gardens.
Cherokee Middle School
This school has swales that could become rain gardens.
One especially good location is at the bottom of the driveway, on the terrace. You can see how water running down the driveway empties directly into this spot. After this photo was taken, a stormwater inlet was installed along the edge of the drive, but it could be covered, allowing water to run instead into the garden.
Permission of the homeowner next to this terrace would be needed. The garden would extend for some distance along this narrow terrace.
Maria Goretti Catholic School and Church
These two are located next to one another. There are numerous swales surrounded by turf that would make good locations.
This particular depression has a stormwater inlet.
Lincoln Elementary School
FoLW funded a rain garden at this location, alleviating flooding of the paved recreation area to the rear. The garden has since disappeared.
Same general area, further to the east. Many opportunities in this area prone to puddling.
Rain gardens could also be built along the border to the teacher parking area.
Hamilton Middle and Van Hise Elementary schools
These two schools on a hillside have extensive impervious surfaces, with many places for rain gardens.
When I visited, snow was melting, creating numerous pools on the sidewalks that need to be drained, plus muddy areas where children shortcut across poorly-drained places.
Parking areas are located above the athletic fields--runoff goes towards the fields, causing them to be soggy or flooded at this time of year. When children cross them, they cause deep footprints in the mud.
There are many places, in perfect locations for receiving stormwater, with no competing uses.
There are already two rain gardens, plus vegetable gardens and a prairie.
This photo shows one of the best locations. A pipe (blue) taking runoff from a large parking area at Hamilton dumps onto the poorly drained athletic field, where you can see water puddling here and there.
