Stormwater Management

The city has found a simple, natural way to reduce the standing water and water runoff problems that often occur in Whiteley after a heavy rain. Rain gardens.

Instead of adding storm sewers or other man-made solutions, Muncie Delaware County Stormwater Management is using part of a Centers for Disease Control grant to install a rain garden at Creekside Apartments, Longfellow Elementary School and Motivate Our Minds (MOMs). The sites were chosen because water naturally flows from McGalliard Road to White River, Stormwater Coordinator Shareen Wagley said.

After heavy rains, it's not uncommon for water to stand in certain parts of the neighborhood for days, increasing health risks and contributing to mosquito infestation.

It's the belief that rain gardens will naturally absorb water and pollutants and slow erosion into White River.

"The whole thing is that with all three of these gardens is to slow some of this down, to have it soak on into the ground instead of have it flood so bad," Wagley said.

Flowers native to Indiana such as black-eyed Susan, coneflower and native grasses are planted in the gardens since those flowers can withstand climate and soil conditions.

The rain garden will be a big science project for the youth who attend MOMs. Water from a heavy rainfall often stood for days in a vacant lot next to MOMs. Now, the children can see how the rain garden will solve that problem as well as serve as a natural filtration system.

"Of course, we're trying to teach the children about being good stewards of the environment," Executive Director Monique Armstrong said. "We try to introduce the children to the overlying theme, and we hope that they'll observe it and talk about it with their parents."

Planting the rain garden at Longfellow will take place this month with Creekside following in September. Creekside manager Suzanne Shafer refused to comment for this article.

Stormwater Management was awarded a $120,000 CDC grant to be used for a three-year period. Last year, money was used to buy rain barrels to give to homeowners, and next year Whiteley residents can apply to have a rain garden in their yard.

Related: Rain Garden Registry

The Star Press