Elk Grove Rain Garden Plaza

On Tuesday, May 1^st, Elk Grove officially opened the Rain Garden Plaza with a ceremony that attracted about 150 people of all ages, from elementary-aged kids to local retired residents who lived in the neighborhood. Mayor Cooper welcomed the crowd and spoke about the creek-friendly stormwater management methods illustrated throughout the 1 acre site.

Represented in the park is a large rain garden, examples of pervious paving material such as pavers and porous concrete, rain barrels and rain chains…. all ways to capture rain where it falls and keep it out of the stormdrain system.

Eric Berntsen, a member of the Laguna Creek Watershed Council (LCWC) Board and a scientist at the State Water Resources Control Board, congratulated the City on taking the initiative to promote creek-friendly landscaping.  He mentioned that in all his travels around California, this is the best illustration of stormwater management practices that protect the aquatic ecosystem that he has seen.  Right here in Elk Grove!!  Barbara Washburn made a short statement as well, expressing the appreciation of the LCWC for the time and effort the City has invested in developing the park and promoting the use of rain gardens and other creek-friendly landscaping.  She particularly recognized all the effort that Fernando Duenas, engineer in the Public Works Department, has invested in seeing this project to its completion.

The LCWC looks forward to holding landscaping workshops at the Plaza in future months. Stay tuned for announcements.

One of the nicest touches in the Plaza was the hundreds of small tiles painted by elementary-aged school kids.  They were placed along the concrete border of the rain garden.  They are really beautiful!

Please take the time to visit the park and explore all its interesting features, which include some exercise equipment as well as a gazebo with picnic tables. It is located behind the Police Department on Laguna Springs Drive.

The Rain Cone
When the button is pressed on each of the 4 stations at this display, “rain” comes tumbling down the side onto either pervious concrete, pervious asphalt, paver, or regular concrete. On the pervious paving material, the water disappears in no time, but when it hits the regular concrete it builds up and follows a path to the….. well, you’ll have to check it out for yourself to see exactly where it goes. Those small tiles at the base were made by local school children.

The Rain Garden
Fernando Duenas explains the features of the rain garden, as he stands on a walkway constructed of recycled plastics.  The many plants came from an Elk Grove nursery specializing in native and drought-tolerant plants, Cornflower Farms.  The plants are very young….once they grow a bit, the garden will really begin to take shape.

Rain Garden with Fishes

One of our favorites are the fishes along the edge of the rain garden.  They serve an important function in the park.  When you visit there, you will find out.  You can also see many of the school kids in this picture as well as representatives from the City and County of Sacramento Stormwater Programs.

 

After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed cold drinks and cookies.  And a free drought tolerant plant was given out as well.  Mayor Cooper chats with a policeman as others mill about.  You can see the shade structure behind the crowd. Two picnic tables sit underneath it.

The City of Elk Grove’s Rain Garden Plaza is located on Laguna Springs Drive across from Colton Park. Parking will be available on Laguna Palms Way, Studio Court and any of the parking lots located on the City Hall campus that are not gated.
HOW TO GET THERE…..