Partnership in action: Harrisville Harbor rain garden project
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EmailAlcona students successfully troubleshoot a rain garden out of control.
The Harrisville Harbor rain garden began with an inspired group of students from Alcona High School concerned about storm water runoff entering Lake Huron. Students collaborated with the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (NEMIGLSI) Network, receiving support from Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Sea Grant, the City of Harrisville (Harrisville Harbor) and the Alcona Conservation District, to design and implement a rain garden. Learn more about their initial efforts in “Alcona students seek to protect Lake Huron with support from the Lake Huron Forever Partners Program.”
The rain garden planted in the spring failed to hold the water from the parking lot during the heavy summer showers. As summer progressed, the mulch washed onto the grass and plants became overwhelmed by invasive grasses and weeds. This inspired project was becoming a point of concern for the city and harbor.
Fall reconnected students with the garden as the new school year began. Alcona students returned to the garden with NEMIGLSI partners, specifically U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Alcona Conservation District and MSU Extension. With these partners, students brainstormed solutions to modify the garden so it would hold the water from the parking lot, forcing it to infiltrate the soil and providing natural filtering and protection to Lake Huron. The students decided to add trenches and a small, recessed area for the water. They implemented their plan, digging the trenches then lining them with weed barrier and large river rock in the hopes of providing space for the water to settle and infiltrate the soil. Students also pulled MANY weeds, giving the native plants from the spring planting space to thrive.
Now the students had to wait for the next big rain and reports from the city crew. After the next big rainstorm, the pictures arrived. Success! The rain garden had captured and held all the water from the parking lot, protecting Lake Huron from the storm water runoff and the pollution it carried.
Spring brought the students back to the garden to check the rock trenches after the winter. They also helped manage the weeds, evaluated the survival of the native plants and added two flowering trees to the garden. The trees and native plants support the secondary purpose of the rain garden: to enhance biodiversity and support pollinator species.
The Alcona High School teacher is planning with the Harrisville Harbor to embark on future projects with their students to enhance water quality and biodiversity in the Harrisville Harbor and to continue to sustain the rain garden. The Harrisville Harbor rain garden project is just one of many partnerships MSU Extension is proud to be part of through the NEMIGLSI Network.
