Throughout 2016 and 2017, the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District worked on three raingardens, utilizing grant funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Long Island Sound Study's Long Island Sound Futures Fund.  These raingardens will protect the Long Island Sound from pollution carried by stormwater runoff.  The location of each raingarden was carefully chosen and built where it would collect the most stormwater runoff. 

We would like to give a special thank you to the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener program, Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, Town of Oyster Bay, Friends of Cedarmere, Village of Bayville, Village of Centre Island, Nassau County Department of Public Works, Nassau County Parks Department, and all of our volunteers for their help.  Only by working together, were we able to complete these projects.

Bayville Village Hall

 The first raingarden was built in front of Bayville Village Hall in Bayville, NY.  This raingarden collects runoff from the street, instead of allowing it to enter the storm drain located further down the road.  We also included a blue stone bridge, which allows for viewing of the raingarden in its entirety.

Cedarmere Preserve

The second raingarden was built at Cedarmere Preserve in Roslyn, NY.  This raingarden was built in two sections, with a path dividing the two.   Large boulders were hand placed and used as a retaining wall behind each raingarden, allowing for each section to catch the maximum amount of water.  We also incorporated a drainage pipe around the parking lot which overlooks the raingardens, this is meant to catch the water flowing over the parking lot, and bring it into the raingarden to be filtered.  Once in the drainage pipe, water flows down into the first raingarden, and once that raingarden is full, an overflow pipe underneath the path leads water into the second raingarden.

Centre Island

The third raingarden was built near the entrance to Centre Island in Oyster Bay, NY.  This raingarden is in a vital location, because it is located less than 25 feet from the shoreline.  Water captured here, would otherwise be flowing freely into Oyster Bay and subsequently the Long Island Sound.  The raingarden is placed along the street, where it works to capture stormwater runoff and filter it.

2017

Each of these raingardens came with their own unique challenges and rewards.  The raingardens we built will work to improve water quality in the Long Island Sound for years to come.  In 2017, the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District will be hosted three raingarden workshops.  If you are interested in building a raingarden of your own but missed the training,  please feel free to give us a call or send us an email.