Park stewardship keeps rain garden healthy at Bloedel-Donovan Park

Volunteer Warren Dillon has maintained the rain garden next to the boat launch at Bloedel-Donovan Park for more than 5 years. This rain garden stops run-off storm-water that is loaded with oil, gasoline and other contaminants from mixing with the lake water.
“It’s working,” Dillon said as he swung his hand-tool into the soil and ripped out a patch of stringy-green weeds with his non-dominant, gloved hand. “I’ve never known it to fill up [or overflow], and it can’t hurt.”
In 2003 the city of Bellingham Public Works Department installed three rain gardens: one behind City Hall and two more at opposite ends of the Bloedel-Donovan Park parking lot. The project received an award for environmental excellence from the American Public Works association in 2005.
Although the identity and function of the rain garden is explained on a sign resting on its perimeter, its purpose may be overlooked or misunderstood.
“I never really noticed that that was a rain garden,” Bloedel-Donovan Park patron Ron West said. “I don’t really know what they are… Maybe I should read the sign,” he added with a grin.
Dillion said the most frustrating part about maintaining the garden is the amount of garbage he has to remove.
“This isn’t bad,” Dillion said as he struggled to pull out a resistant weed. “Deeper in there is where the beer bottles and used condoms are.”
Dillion said the city doesn’t pay for a trash can next to the boat launch because it’s too labor intensive.
“Just a little while ago [while I was weeding] I heard someone say ‘just throw it in the bushes, not the lake,’ because they think if they put it in the bushes it will be okay,” Dillion said.
Dillion said that he spends about 30 hours per year at the garden, mostly during spring and summer when gardening maintenance is inevitable.
“It makes a difference and there aren’t a lot of people downtown volunteering to do it….and it’s more fun than watching TV anyways,” Dillion said. “Not to mention, they say volunteering is good for your health…and it might lower taxes.”

A video produced by King County describing rain gardens and other storm-water management solutions. How to build a rain garden during the last four minutes.

Reining in the rain: rain garden project document.

More information on how to volunteer to be a lake steward

Watershed education programs.

Salal is a common native plant that is classified as a shrub but may be planted as a ground cover.