The Raingarden at City of Lakes Waldorf School

Did you know that here at City of Lakes, we’re only three miles from the Mississippi River? It’s easy to forget, in the midst of our urban setting, that just a few miles away lies the third longest river in the world. The Mississippi River is used by hundreds of species of birds, over two hundred fish species, and numerous species of mammals and reptiles.

People also depend on the river! If you live in Minneapolis, your drinking water comes from the Mississippi. The energy generated by the river’s rushing water creates electricity which powers industries along the river. Finally, the river itself serves as a major transportation and shipping route through the United States.

Although the river is powerful and mighty, it is also vulnerable. Pollution enters the Mississippi directly through our storm drains, rainfall, litter, and industrial waste. This pollution affects animal and plant populations in Minnesota and elsewhere downstream, since the river extends all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

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Our school community deeply values ecological sensitivity and sustainability. We take seriously our responsibility as stewards of our natural environment. Sensitivity to nature and environmental education are central tenets of Waldorf education.  We’re committed to ongoing efforts that improve our natural world, while also providing educational opportunities for our students, and our neighboring communities.

In 2009, CLWS received a generous grant from The Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization to develop and install a rain garden.

See our original blog post here.

This project is intended to have three major benefits:

  • First, to eliminate paved (impervious surface) in our heavily developed, urban environment, which will filter rain water and increase green space. Prior to installation of the rain garden at CLWS, runoff resulted from almost 10,000 square feet of roof surface and almost 40,000 square feet of parking lot. Construction of the rain garden in 2009 began with the removal of almost 5,000 square feet of impervious surface, an immediate reduction in the source of stormwater runoff.

  • Second, to provide our students with hands-on, day-to-day opportunities to see ecological stewardship and sustainability in action. Our school community places a high value on the natural world. Sensitivity toward nature and ecology is a key element of a Waldorf education.  The rain garden is one of many steps that CLWS is taking to be a more sustainable school. Read more….(link to Waste Abatement text)
  • Third, to be a vehicle for outreach into the greater Minneapolis community: CLWS is committed to reaching out to the Whittier neighborhood, public and private schools, city residents, and others who wish to learn more about rain gardens and CLWS’ mission of sustainability. City of Lakes is proud to have the rain garden reflect our school community’s values of sustainability, ecological sensitivity, and environmental stewardship.

This project could not have happened without generous funding and support from the following:

  • Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (provided a grant for $50,000)
  • Barr Engineering
  • Three Seeds, Inc. which provide site design, planning and plant lists
  • Parents in our school community

What is a rain garden?

Some great resources for rain gardens

The City of Lakes Rain Garden

What are the plants in the City of Lakes Raingarden?

Rain Garden History

Spring 2010 Trail map

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