Birchwood Lake Rain Garden, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Mountain Lakes, NJ – The first known rain garden installation incorporating both advanced rain garden concepts and woodland restoration practices into a single project has been completed at Birchwood Lake, on West Shore Road, in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey.

The advanced rain garden applies natural systems to reduce the negative impacts of stormwater runoff, to improve water quality, and to enhance biodiversity. Rapidly flowing rainwater from the Birchwood Lake parking lot is interrupted and captured in the constructed basin, allowing water to filter into the ground instead of eroding the bank and washing pollutants into the adjacent Crystal Lake. Plants help keep the soil porous, soak up water, and remove nutrients and some chemical impurities. The planted native perennials and shrubs help restore the woodland understory, while providing habitat for local wildlife and pollinators.

Video presentation from the Governor’s 2020 Environmental Excellence Awards

“This is much more than a basic rain garden. It incorporates Next Generation Rain Garden design principles, addressing all aspects of function, appearance and maintenance,” according to Brian Marshall of Garden Magic, LLC, who designed and installed the rain garden.

The rain garden was made possible with funding and support from the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (a Franklin Parker Conservation Excellence Grant), Borough of Mountain Lakes, Garden Magic LLC, and the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee.

Over 125 native plants can be found in the rain garden, including:  Berry-producing shrubs (blueberry, dogwood, arrowwood, winterberry; Ferns (cinnamon, lady, marsh, ostrich, royal, sensitive); Perennials (golden zizia, mayapple, red columbine, Solomon’s seal, blackeyed Susan, cardinal flower, boneset, great blue lobelia.)

“For many years excess stormwater runoff from the parking lot was causing a serious erosion issue and the rain garden was the best solution,” states Tom Menard, Mountain Lakes Councilman. “Extra effort was put in to protect the existing trees, and then native plants were added to provide food and habitat for local wildlife.”

Responsibility for maintenance of the Birchwood Lake rain garden has been assigned to members of the Mountain Lakes Environmental Commission and the Mountain Lakes High School Environmental Club. A rain garden maintenance schedule and inspection checklist was created by Garden Magic LLC to instruct and guide.

“This rain garden drains approximately 9,000 square feet of pavement and the primary basin is designed to handle a 1.25 inch rainfall over a 2 hour period. During construction it withstood two tropical storms,” states Len Cipkins, of the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee.  “Our organization has installed many rain gardens throughout the watershed to manage stormwater runoff and ultimately recharge underground aquifers.”