Regional Project Profile
Upper Perkiomen Valley High School

Category: Implemented Retrofit
Type of BMP: Vegetated bioretention swales, naturalized basins and no-mow zones

| Description | Location | Partners | Cost | Contact |
 

This project is not only indicative of Upper Perkiomen Valley School District’s dedication to sustainable land-use, but also of the District’s commitment to providing its students with valuable learning experiences. Environmental science students planted the swales and basin on different occasions in the Spring and Fall of 2004. The BMPs also are used as living laboratories by science classes learning about environmental issues. In addition, the District hopes that the stormwater BMPs will be a community learning resource that may motivate other schools and in the residential developments and golf courses around Green Lane Reservoir to implement similar BMPs on their properties.

The BMP projects include: 1) Biorention swales; 2) Naturalized basins and No-mow zones.

1) Bioretention Swales
The vegetated swales at Upper Perkiomen High School are planted with herbaceous and shrub species, which can be found by clicking here. Plants were selected according to their blooming period, their ability to provide habitat for wildlife and their tolerance to moisture. Because stormwater naturally flows into this recessed area the swales absorb surface water which decreases the threat of flooding.

2) Naturalized Basins and No-Mow Zones
The Upper Perkiomen School District has implemented naturalized basins and no-mow zones at its different school properties. Developing a naturalized basin can be a very simple task. At the Marlborough Elementary School site they simply stopped mowing the bowl of the basin in Spring 2002. After a year of letting the basin grow naturally, native grasses and plants overtook the turf grass. Not only do the natives look more natural and provide wildlife with habitat and food, but they also provide an ideal stormwater management facility. With bigger roots and a natural ability to soak up water and pollutants, native plants provide a smart alternative to regular sod.

County:         Pennsburg, Montgomery County
Watershed:   Perkiomen Creek

Upper Perkiomen Valley High School is located at 2 Walt Road in Pennsburg. The school is located in an important ecological area in Southeastern Pennsylvania that represents the largest contiguous woodlands in this part of the State. PennEnvironment named the Unami Creek area one of Pennsylvania’s 10 most special places at risk in a 2002 report. Recent technological advances make it easier to build on the rocky topography of the Perkiomen Watershed area. The risks of urban encroachment include a dangerous decline in the water table, reduced water quality, and a loss of natural diversity found in the area’s unique wildlife.

The Upper Perkiomen School District has taken steps to implement stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) at Marlborough Elementary School and at Upper Perkiomen Valley High School. These BMPs manage flooding from school property run-off and protect adjacent Green Lane Reservoir’s drinking water by reducing sedimentation and nutrients from the school property. Oil and grease from school parking lots are filtered through bioretention swales while stormwater runoff from athletic fields are directed to the site’s naturalized basin. The natural integrity of the reservoir and its surrounding ecosystem is better maintained due to these Best Management Practices.

A Delaware Estuary Program Mini-grant of $4,100 provided funds to plant native vegetation in existing swales and a basin on school property.