Master Watershed Stewards Plant Rain Gardens in York County

This spring, Master Watershed Stewards in York County worked with Fairview and Jackson Townships to plant rain gardens. Both projects are in community parks in York County and will help educate the public about stormwater and the benefits of implementing green infrastructure to help improve water quality. Rain gardens are bowl-shaped gardens built to capture stormwater runoff, so they can gradually infiltrate back into the ground. They slow and reduce runoff from roofs, driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, and other impervious surfaces that would otherwise run off the land into streams, carrying pollutants with it. Rain gardens are rather simple to build and can help beautify your landscape. They help reduce flooding, filter pollution, protect and replenish drinking water supplies, and provide pollinator and wildlife habitat.

Master Watershed Stewards collaborated to plan the layout of a rain garden at Roof Park in Fairview Township, York County. The team determined the proper size and shape of the garden, selected native plants, and enjoyed planting over 700 native plugs, including both perennials and grasses. Educational signage will be installed to help educate park visitors about rain gardens and their benefits.

In Jackson Township, Master Watershed Stewards recently planted a large rain garden at Little Creek Community Park. Last fall, stewards also planted a riparian buffer in the park. Another park improvement will include converting lawn to meadow, another best management practice to help improve water quality. Stewards are working on educational materials for this project as well.

By working together, Master Watershed Stewards can help municipalities meet some of their stormwater obligations. Many communities in PA are designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) based on their population density. These urbanized areas must follow a number of regulations making sure stormwater runoff does not degrade water quality in local streams. The Master Watershed Steward Program was created to educate and connect citizens from communities to water resource concerns in the area. Meeting obligations of the MS4 Program can be challenging for municipalities that may have staff with little or no training in this area. Partnering together can be an effective step using the resources of trained citizens to help meet these EPA obligations. Building rain gardens, developing educational materials, and installing signage are a few of the many ways Master Watershed Stewards can help municipalities.

For more information on rain gardens and stormwater, visit Penn State Extension's Urban and Residential Stormwater website. 

For more information about the Master Watershed Steward Program in York go to the York County Master Watershed Stewards Program website or contact Jodi Sulpizio, Natural Resources Educator at jrb143@psu.edu or 717-840-7429.