Preparing for Excavation at Three Rivers Community College

Looking east toward the garden

Jenna and Mike

We are in the process of planning the rain garden at Three Rivers Community College. Mike Deitz of UConn NEMO (Non-Point Source Education for Municipal Officials) has come up with a cross section diagram and an overhead diagram of the rain garden.

Jenna went out to TRCC to meet with Mike Deitz and the contractor last week. After looking at many site maps, we found electric lines marked within the area of the rain garden so they had to dig a trench to see if wires were indeed present.
                                                    

Found the conduits. Do not try this at home!

This is one of the less sexy parts of the job!

Sure enough, 18 inches below the soil, there were two conduits--one for the electric lines and one for the security lines. The contractor now knows where to avoid when installing the drainage pipe at the basin of the garden (around 14 inches deep).

There are many steps prior to installing a large rain garden in an area that has pre-existing  infrastructure. Like Naugatuck Valley Community College, students will be designing the garden and choosing its plants. Prior to meeting with the students, Jenna went out to Perennial Harmony Garden Center in Waterford to get inspired and look at plant choices. Here is a picture of Petie Reed, AOLCP, and her partner, Rich, owners of the garden center .

Petie and Rich from Perennial Harmony

Cross section of rain garden

Rain garden area in green