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Three days, three rain gardens and 35 volunteers later, green stormwater infrastructure at Northern and Southern Nash high schools is complete.

“Cleaning up those rain gardens, mulching, planting new plants, was a lot of work,” said Sound Rivers Executive Director Heather Deck. “But it’s well worth it, because they’re doing an important job: filtering stormwater runoff of pollutants before they get to the Tar River.”

Sparked by a Sound Rivers/Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant partnership in its third year, Cummins employees volunteered along Sound Rivers staff to revamp the rain gardens, initially constructed through Sound Rivers’ Campus Stormwater Program.

Prior to the rain garden restorations, Sound Rivers staff and Cummins employees had collaborated on six land and river cleanups on the Tar River and its tributaries, removing more than a ton of trash from waterways and banks.

The numbers for the rain garden makeovers were equally impressive. Over three days in September and October, volunteers weeded 3700 square feet across two rain gardens at North Nash High School, and 1,100 square feet at Southern Nash, spreading 25 cubic yards of mulch and planting 400 native plants. Species planted included swamp milkweed, bitterweed, sedges, rushes, lizard’s tail and more.

Principals at both schools had good things to say about the Sound Rivers/Cummins project.

“I appreciate the work you put in to make our rain gardens more sustainable and effective. It really looks amazing,” Northern Nash Principal Michael Girouard wrote in an email.

A total of 35 Cummins volunteers contributed 100 volunteer hours to the project.

Like the Campus Stormwater Program and stopping pollution BEFORE it gets to your waterways? We do! Donate today to support Sound Rivers’ work to keep your rivers swimmable, fishable and drinkable for all!