Description

An existing raised planting bed running along the front of the building was overgrown and in need of renovation, so it presented an opportunity to retrofit the planting bed to a stormwater planter. Existing plants were removed, an underdrain was installed, select soil was added, and appropriate vegetation was planted.

Site Location

• Site name: Orange County Office Building
• Address: 18 Seward Avenue, Middletown, NY 10940
• Owner: County of Orange
• County: Orange
• Watershed: Monhagen Brook/Wallkill River
• Land use of site: Municipal
• Can this site be visited? Yes
• Location on site: Along the front of the building next to porch, to the left of the main building entrance as you are walking in.

Practice Details

• Intent of design: This is an ideal location for GI demonstration projects because of the public traffic visiting the building and the storm water training series hosted here by Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County. In addition, the receiving waters (Monhagen Brook) are impaired primarily by urban pollutants, so green infrastructure practices help to address those impairments.
• Size of structure/capacity: 450 square feet surface area/150 cubic feet ponding volume
• Size of drainage area: 2,100 square feet
• Plants or materals used: partial list of plants used: Sedum Anjela, Penstemon, Carex evergold, Lady Mantle, Geum, Hypercium, Microbiota, Aesclepias
• Maintenance: Weed, water, check downspouts for blockage, check overflow riser for blockage
• Maintained by: Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County/Master Gardeners
• More than one practice at this site? Yes, Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County Tree Filter and Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County Rain Garden

Design/Installation Information

• Design: Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District, with review by Lehman and Getz, P.C.
• Installation: Vellenga Lawn Care, with construction supervision by Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District
• Other project partners: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County/Master Gardeners Program – maintenance; County of Orange – review/approve project plans
• Date of installation: August 2013
• Zoning or special permit required: No
• Project cost: Approximately $5,000
• Form of payment: Grant funds (from the NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program, in partnership with New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission), with additional support from Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District, Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County, Lehman and Getz, P.C.

For Additional Site Information

Contact: Kevin Sumner, Conservation District Manager, Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District
Email: kevin.sumner@ocsoil.org
Phone: (845) 343-1873