PROJECT PARTNER(S)
Upper Swede Hollow Neighborhood Association, Community Design Center of Minnesota, Barr Engineering, multiple financial partners.

LOCATION
St. Paul, MN

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS
Low Impact Development, Urban beautification, Rain Garden, Vegetated Swale

DESCRIPTION
The rain garden was built in part to protect a restored wetland (by capturing polluted runoff), and also for urban beautification. The project is located in a higher-density residential area in St. Paul, Minnesota. Two vegetated swales were built to funnel stormwater into a bio-retention cell (the rain garden) from a residential street. The drainage area is about one acre, and is 75% impervious surface. The rain garden itself is 900 square feet, and can treat all of the runoff from a 1 inch/24 hour storm. However, excess rain from larger storms is directed into the storm sewer system.
The site also serves as an outdoor classroom. Students were involved in planting the garden, and have learned about pollution prevention, native plants, water quality, and erosion control through a workshop at the garden.
Funding totaling $19,000 for the rain garden was obtained from city, state, and federal agencies, and local and national charitable organizations.

PHOTOS AND DRAWINGS



LESSONS LEARNED
Multi-use sites have more sources to draw financial resources.

Small budgets can have large local impacts!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/qapp/biohighres_home.htm
http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/storm/chap12.asp