Longfellow Students Investigate Schoolyard Stormwater Issues

On a rainy May day, Longfellow 5th graders put on their rainboots, jackets, and umbrellas to observe how stormwater flows around the school yard, identify pollution sources, and document maintenance issues with Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District staff.

At the start of the first class period, students noted that 1.5” of rain was already collected in their rain gauge. Even with that much rain, their courtyard shed rain garden had no standing water thanks to their earlier soil aeration to improve stormwater infiltration.

Next, the students inspected four storm drains to check for erosion, grate blockages, and catch basin clogs. Two storm drain grates had minimum erosion, clear grates, but major catch basin debris from sticks, pine cones, and other debris tossed in by students. The basketball court domed storm drain was almost completely submerged but clear of grate debris, flooding most of the kickball field and basketball court and indicating a significant catch basin clog. The lower rain garden domed storm drain grate was blocked by mulch, leaves, and litter, locally flooding the garden. However, some quick maintenance to clear the grate allowed the water to successfully drain.

The students then followed the rain garden runoff up the school yard to the playground and found significant sidewalk and playground erosion and a completely covered sidewalk culvert. After a couple attempts to dig out the culvert, students discussed alternative solutions to repair and prevent future issues like aerating and adding lots of compost to the playground soil so it can be vegetated with groundcovers, adding more shrubs to hold soil on the slopes, and creating large rain gardens around the sidewalk culvert.

By the end of the second class period, students observed over 2” of rain collected in their rain gauge as runoff continued to be filtered and absorbed by their rain gardens.

This amazing unit is funded by the City of Portland through the Greener Neighborhoods Cleaner Streams program and taught by the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District.