Four New Rain Gardens Coming Soon to a Fridley Neighborhood

Stormwater runoff from Fridley's Channel Rd. NE neighborhood currently flows to and through the storm sewer network directly to Rice Creek, untreated. This is a common occurrence in well-established neighborhoods built prior to stormwater treatment regulations. However, thanks to collaboration between the City of Fridley, Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD), ACD, and private landowners, this neighborhood with soon be retrofitted with four curb-cut rain gardens designed to reduce water volume and pollutants entering Rice Creek. 

These gardens have been strategically located throughout the neighborhood in order to capture as much runoff as possible. The benefits of infiltrating this stormwater will amount to an estimated reduction of 56,192 cubic feet of water, 3.57 lbs of phosphorus, and 677 lbs of total suspended solids to Rice Creek per year. Each garden will also be densely planted with native forbs, grasses, and shrubs to provide improved water infiltration and pockets of high-quality habitat in a highly developed landscape. 

Funding is provided by the RCWD's water quality cost share program and the City of Fridley. Landowners at each garden site have voluntarily enrolled in this opportunity and have agreed to maintain these gardens to ensure long-term functionality. For more information contact Breanna Keith, Water Resource Specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..