From The Examiner, Eastern Jackson County
Scouts plant rain garden as part of a community project on the grounds of the Jackson County Public Works Technology Center, 303 W. Walnut St. in Independence.
Technology may be here to stay, but it's still important to stop and smell the rose verbena. And the blue flags, coneflowers, cardinal flowers and kobold blazing stars while you're at it.
Thanks to the efforts of Boy Scout Troop 865, employees of the Jackson County Public Works Technology Center, 303 W. Walnut St. in Independence, will be doing just that. Last month, the troop planted 81 native plants including five types of flowers, one flowering shrub and one grass species in one of two rain gardens in the technology center's new parking lot. The Scouts planted the garden as a community service project.
"Some of the younger boys needed service hours for rank advancement and the older boys were helping out, serving as role models," said Pat Campbell, scoutmaster.
His sons, Josh, 16, and Andrew, 14, helped plant the garden. Other members involved were Philip Lehane, Brad Nesbitt and Matthew Semegran. The troop is sponsored by St. Mark's Catholic Church, Independence.
"They all enjoyed the environmental aspect of putting in a rain garden and they certainly enjoyed digging in the dirt. They're talking about coming back in the spring, to see how all the colors of the flowers are going to mesh together."
A rain garden is both attractive and healthy for the environment said Glen Dvorak, Jackson County Public Works project manager.
What can you do?
To help prevent stormwater pollution follow these simple tips:
- Use lawn chemicals safely. Always follow label instructions and never apply before rain or watering the lawn, unless directed.
- Pick up after your pets. When walking your pet, remember to bring extra bags to pick up and dispose of waste properly.
- Recycle used oil. Never place used motor oil in the trash or pour down storm drains. Visit www.marc.org to find the nearest oil recycling center.
- Sweep driveways and sidewalks clean. Remove debris and residue that could end up in storm drain from concrete and paved areas around your house.
- Wash your car the right way. Either wash your car at a car wash that filters the wastewater, or wash your car in a grassy area. Avoid washing your car on a driveway or in the street.
- Don't dump. Never discard trash or yard waste down storm drains or in the street.
- Storm drain marking. Join or start a group that attaches markers or paints stencils with anti-dumping messages on storm drains to remind citizens where the water flows.
"A rain garden captures rain off hard surfaces like rooftops, parking lots and sidewalks to an area where it can be absorbed into the ground and used to water plants," he said. "The purpose is to help reduce stormwater runoff, which can cause flooding, soil erosion and pollution."
Common contaminants in stormwater include lawn chemicals, pet waste, household chemicals like paint, and soaps used for washing cars. These can harm wildlife and degrade water quality.
One type of rain garden installed at this county building pipes the storm water from the rooftops into one of the rain gardens that retains the water in an underground, rock-filled trench and is used to irrigate flowers, trees and shrubs. The other rain garden type features a rock-filled trench that serves as an infiltration bed. This one collects the runoff from the parking lot and redirects some of the runoff underground to be absorbed into the soil. The building's sump pump also drains into this garden.
"Ninety percent of pollution off parking lots is in the first 10 percent of water that runs off it. We're trying to capture that first 10 percent and put it down into the infiltration bed so that it doesn't pass down into the streams," he said.
The sloped parking lot also directs the rain water to run through curb openings into one of the gardens over a brick channel to absorb it into the rock-filled trench below. Ground cover includes two-to-three inches of hardwood mulch, with newspaper beneath the mulch to serve as a biodegradable weed barrier.
"Another use for newspapers," he joked.
The rain gardens were designed in-house by the Public Works engineering department, with plant selection and layout provided by the Prairie and Wetland Center, Belton. The county road maintenance personnel provided the top soil and brick installation needed in the gardens.
"With the Boy Scouts' help, it turned out to be a community project," Dvorak said, whose son was once a member of Troop 865. "A project where everybody, including the environment, wins."
The only question now is who will pull the garden weeds.
"Oh, we'll all help out," he said. "We'll just pull 'em as they come along. At least we don't have to mow it."
