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friends@therouge.org | 734-927-4900 | Fax: 734-927-4920

Rain Gardens for Tonquish and Johnson Creek

From 2015 through 2019, Friends of the Rouge worked with partners across Plymouth, Canton, Northville, Westland, and Salem to build 18 demonstration rain gardens. The project was funded in  part through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Nonpoint Source Program by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Plymouth, 2018
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): City of Plymouth, Bosch Volunteers

BEFORE: Plymouth Municipal Yard

Plymouth, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): City of Plymouth, Bosch Volunteers

AFTER: Plymouth Municipal Yard

Plymouth Township, 2018
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): Plymouth Township, Ford & Community Volunteers

BEFORE: Plymouth Township Park

Plymouth Township, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): Plymouth Township, Ford & Community Volunteers

AFTER: Plymouth Township Park

Northville Township, 2018
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): Northville Township, Ford & Community Volunteers

BEFORE: Moraine Elementary School

Northville Township, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): Northville Township, Ford & Community Volunteers

AFTER: Moraine Elementary School

Canton Township, 2018
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Ford & Community Volunteers

BEFORE: Geneva Presb. Church

Canton Township, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Ford & Community Volunteers

AFTER: Geneva Presb. Church

Plymouth Township, 2018
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Ford & Community Volunteers

BEFORE: Groen Residence

Plymouth Township, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Ford & Community Volunteers

AFTER: Groen Residence

Plymouth Township, 2018
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Community Volunteers

BEFORE: Starr Residence

Plymouth Township, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Community Volunteers

AFTER: Starr Residence

Plymouth Township, 2019
Design: Friends of the Rouge
Builder(s): FOTR, Community Volunteers

AFTER: Starr Residence

RESTORATION VALUE

  • Nine community rain gardens soak up over 37,000 gallons of water each time it rains
  • Nine home rain gardens soak up 12,000 gallons of water each time it rains (averaging over 1,000 gallons per home)

KEY RESULTS

  • 1189 residents engaged in workshops, outreach meetings, and rain garden installations
  • Residents built 6 additional rain gardens on their own initiative

MAJOR PARTNERS

  • Plymouth Township
  • Northville Township
  • Canton Township
  • City of Plymouth
  • Salem Township
  • City of Westland
  • Washtenaw County Water Resources
  • Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
  • Northville Public Schools
  • Geneva Presbyterian Church
  • PARC (Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex)
  • Advanced Disposa
  • Ford Motor Company
  • Robert Bosch LLC

This project has been funded in part through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Nonpoint Source Program by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The contents of the document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or the DEQ, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.