New rain garden in Lionville to clean stormwater for Pickering Creek & Delaware Watershed

Green Stormwater Infrastructure project created in Chester County

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) took the lead to create a large rain garden along Route 100 in Lionville, Pennsylvania to keep stormwater pollution out of local waterways. The rain garden, a form of green stormwater infrastructure, removes contaminants like gasoline, oil, dirt, animal waste, and other pollutants as the runoff soak into the ground.

 “It can be challenging to restore streams in a commercialized area like this, but with the incredible support we’ve received from the landowners, Uwchlan Township, and our funders, we can start to change the water quality narrative here,” said Kate Hutelmyer, PDE’s Collaborative Programs Manager.

The 9000-square-foot rain garden is between the Exton Medical Arts building and Pine Creek, a native trout stream and a tributary of the Pickering Creek, a drinking water source for more than a half-million people in Chester and Montgomery counties. Pickering Creek drains into the Schuylkill River, the largest tributary of the Delaware River and Bay.

“I’m hoping that the garden will improve the water quality of our creeks and streams. Aside from that, it’s a beautiful garden,” said Scott Furman, co-owner of the medical arts property.

Chester County towns are integrating more stormwater management techniques to bring in local landowners to protect waterways. Involved in the project were Uwchlan Township, the Schuylkill Action Network, and ThinkGreen and Meliora Designs consulting firms. Funders included the William Penn Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund, and Aqua Pennsylvania.

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