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DETROIT LAKES CITY'S
FLAGSHIP RAIN GARDEN

Staying on the cutting edge, the municipality of Detroit Lakes takes pride in being one of the first in Northwestern Minnesota to use a healthy tool to cleanup its stormwater. Called its FLAGSHIP Rain Garden because the City intends several more, the location is beside the shoreland City Park's Pavilion.

Rain gardens filter polluted stormwater runoff from parking lots, roof tops and other impervious surfaces. For the homeowner, they can be built in a ponding area in one's yard. For commercial and larger areas, skilled construction is necessary. The purpose is to clean the water before it enters streams and lakes, and to do so quickly before mosquitoes have a chance to multiply in standing water. Plant selection is crucial; only native plants are on the list because of their easy acclimation to the environment.

Partnerships in FLAGSHIP rain garden's construction were Gregg Thompson, Metro Soil & Water; Lindy Ekola, Department of Natural Resources; Chamber of Commerce Festival of Birds, and Master Gardeners.

Follow the illustrations below and you will know exactly how to build one!


Site chosen for the Flagship Rain Garden	Parks Manager, Tom Gulon measures the site. Rain Garden size is determined by taking 10% of the impervious surface area.

Excavation and, in this case, some inches of over-excavation will ease adjustment of plants' roots to depth. Area is so low that water immediately accumulated with excavation.	City employees complete erosion blanket installation.

Tom and John recheck boundary elevations after installation of erosion blanket.	For our needs, we created a 25% compost, 75% sand mixture.
		Rain Gardens... Come in all shapes and sizes can be designed for any site. Are beautiful landscaping features attract birds and butterflies.
MACHINE LABOR.......and....... HUMAN LABOR!	Runoff sediment from parking lot will collect at rocks in a heavy rain event.

Green flags placed to identify the boundary.	Public Works Director, Brad Green checks progress on installation of two kinds of mulch. The lower level of mulch designed to float in a rain event, upper layer of mulch designed to keep mulch in place.

Rain Garden poised for planting.	First blooms!

One month after planting.	Three months into the growing season.

Sign teaches how to make a Rain Garden.	Our Flagship Rain Garden has done us proud with every rain event in its first season! Public Works Director, Brad Green; Sally Hausken; Parks Manager, Tom Gulon

Native plant choices were those liking "wet feet." Many of them bloomed this first season. Master Gardeners who planted and supervised others planting also weeded. Throughout the season, a total of 11 Master Gardener hours were spent weeding.

A beautiful solution to water pollution!

For more information, contact Sally Hausken, (218) 847-8032