‘Green infrastructure’ gentler on environment, mitigates runoff
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
But rolling stormwater, called stormwater runoff, can gather much worse than moss, including trash, oil, sediment and other troublesome pollutants. And to make matters worse, without the proper infrastructure, the debris often goes straight into our lakes, streams and rivers.
With this in mind, the Mercer County Park Commission found an opportunity to do its part in mitigating the effects of stormwater runoff by designing “green infrastructure” into a parking lot repaving project at John A. Roebling Memorial Parkin Hamilton. The park is home to the Tulpehaking Nature Center, which houses the Park Commission’s Environmental Education Department.
“As the Park Commission and Mercer County invest in improvements to our park system, we strive to do so in an environmentally conscious way,” said Park Commission Executive Director Aaron T. Watson. “We know that as stewards of over 10,000 acres of open space in the county, our decisions should improve both the quality of life for residents and the environment as a whole.”
Roebling Park is located within the 3,000-acre Abbott Marshlands, the northernmost freshwater tidal marsh in the Delaware River watershed. The stormwater from its parking lot drains directly into Spring Lake and the park’s surrounding freshwater tidal marsh.
The Abbott Marshlands attracts rare wildlife such as river otter, American eel, and bald eagle. It is also an important stopover for migratory birds along the Atlantic flyway. Unmanaged stormwater runoff can negatively impact water quality and the local ecosystem, create harmful algal blooms, and increase the possibility of flooding.
The stormwater runoff has also eroded portions of the existing parking lot and has made Spring Lake less appealing for fishing and boating.
Improvements at the Spring Lake access area are scheduled to begin in early September.
The plan includes several rain gardens, a green infrastructure option that is both beautiful and effective in form and function. Rain gardens not only absorb rainwater, but they also filter out pollutants and provide food and shelter for local wildlife. More importantly, the rain gardens at the Spring Lake parking lot will capture stormwater runoff before it flows into the lake.
Access to Roebling Park from Sewell Avenue in Hamilton will be temporarily closed to the public during construction, but will be reopened when the project is complete.
Various native shrubs, grasses and perennial wildflowers will be planted in the garden, including northern bayberry, swamp milkweed, and woodland phlox. The colorful blooms amongst the grasses will add to the visual appeal of the garden for both people and pollinators.
This is a pilot project, which is being funded through the Mercer County Open Space Trust Fund. The results will inform plans for future upgrades at other park facilities, as the Mercer County Park Commission continues to effectively steward its numerous parks and recreation facilities.
For more information on rain gardens and how you could make your own, go to http://water.rutgers.edu/Rain_Gardens/RGWebsite/rginfo.html