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Locations for rain gardens at West High School, Madison, WI

by David H. Thompson

Criteria for a good rain garden location are as follows, in rough order of importance:
1. Runoff easily enters the garden by gravity (so garden requires a minimum of excavation or grading).
2. Takes substantial runoff from a large area.
3. Gets substantial direct sunlight (but it is possible to build gardens in shade).
4. No conflicting use for the area.
5. Low traffic (or else garden has to be protected from trampling).
6. Easy to protect garden from snow plows or salt.
7. Solves other problems, like erosion.
8. In a public area, so a sign can educate public about watershed health.

I've rated the locations as excellent, very good, good, and fair. See captions for details about each location. The photos move clockwise around the school. The were taken on 12/6/14.

Here's a link to an easy kind of rain garden you can build in a grassy swale (drainage depression): saveourstream.blogspot.com/2014/05/experimental-rain-gard...

27 photos · 12 views
Interior parking area along W-facing wall. Receives water from downspouts, but shaded during half or more of the day. Salt and snowplows may be a problem. Fair location.
Same as above. Fair location.
This terrace (area between sidewalk and street) receives a huge amount of runoff from the parking lot to the south, but on the negative side it's in a high traffic area, and snowplows and salt would be a problem. Excellent location.
This area drains to the east, where there's a Good location.
Same as above. This area between stones and sidewalk receives a lot of runoff, and can be protected from traffic. But it's somewhat shady. Very good location.
A narrow garden could easily be built along the N side of this sidewalk. It appears to be low-traffic, but it's relatively shady, and doesn't drain much more than the sidewalk itself. Good location.
This terrace (between sidewalk and street) would receive a lot of runoff flowing down the sidewalk, but it would be hard to protect from foot traffic, plows, and salt. Very good location.
Same as above.
Same as above.
This depression receives runoff from the grass and two downspouts. It may have once been a rain garden. Easy to protect, but not very public for education purposes. Very good location.
One of the downspouts desribed above. Where does the plastic pipe go? To the depression? It would have to be cleaned out or re-routed.
Same depression as above.
Receives runoff from several downspouts. But this area is very shady and not very public. Fair location.
This area may receive a lot of runoff from the S side of the school, and is fairly sunny, but may be hard to protect. Fair to good location.
Same as above.
South side of school near SE corner. Substantial runoff from much of the south side may exit here. Fairly sunny and easy to protect. Excellent location.
Rear of photo--same as above.
Rear of photo, same as above.
Same as above--south side looking west. Much runoff flows along this "swale." Excellent location.
This whole area along school's south side appears to feed towards the above location.
Just upstream of the stormwater inlet (in tree's shadow) could be a good location, but it's not very public and somewhat shady.
SW corner, on athletic field. A garden could be placed in the depression just upstream of the stormwater inlet. Probable receives much runoff from the field. Possibly hard to protect or coflicts with other use. Not very public. Very good location.
Next to private business. Receives runoff from paved area of business. Easy to protect, but not very public. Good location.
This whole swale--the E-W depression, receives a lot of runoff. Might conflict with football, and not very public. Good location.