Finding Solutions in Wisconsin
A Rain Garden at Elm Grove Elementary
By Cheryl Nenn,
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
It was a Sunday but at Tonawanda Elementary School the playground was teeming with kids. They were there, with their families, to help Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers – the parent organization of Milwaukee Riverkeeper – plant a rain garden.

A rain garden is specially designed to collect stormwater and allow it to absorb into the soil. At Tonawanda, the garden will catch water running off of the school’s playground so that it can naturally soak into the soil, rather than rush into nearby Underwood Creek.

In recent years the Village of Elm Grove has experienced increased flooding as upstream development has “hardened” our ground surfaces. Rather than soaking into the soil, rain quickly rushes off of roofs, roads, parking lots, and lawns, causing area creeks and rivers to flood. This rushing water also carries high pollutant loads. Rain gardens clean pollutants from the water and contribute to a more natural water cycle by allowing water to recharge groundwater.

The rain garden was not just a one-day effort. In the spring of 2004, students and families began planning the garden. Some families grew plants from seed, supplementing the purchased plants. Volunteers prepared the site, and then, on that beautiful Sunday in October, about 30 volunteers came out to plant. The Patent Teacher Association has formed a “weeding team” that will help with maintenance as the garden gets established.

In addition to the contributions of members, the garden was made possible by a grant from Tom’s of Maine, through its partnership with the National Park Foundation. The National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program provided technical assistance, and Nancy Aten of Mequon designed the project.