At the Deering Woods neighborhood, a project was installed involving a series of conservation landscapes, three rain gardens and interconnecting rock channels. The garden treats approximately 25 townhome units with a total drainage area of approximately 1.84 acres that is 27.5% impervious. The total labor and material costs to install this garden was ~$9,700, or $387 per unit. The garden was installed by the Restoring the Environment and Developing Youth (READY) program, which is a Howard County funded program that employs young adults, aged 16-26, to build rain gardens and assist with additional BMP implementation throughout the County. This project is unique since it was implemented at a multi-family residential property. While these properties house numerous residents in the Bay Watershed, they are often overlooked for retrofit due to challenges with property ownership. In addition to providing stormwater management, this project creates a functional human space through the use of rock channels and stepping stones within the practice. Further, there is a large educational aspect of this project, extending not only to the residents, but also the young adults involved in the READY program.
To learn more about this year’s winners, check out the project files on our Google Drive account here.
