Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
cordgrass (
Spartina patens
) and smooth cordgrass were planted there within the jute
and hay netting, and secured by substantial chinked bluestones. Swale planting was
rushed into action in early July, with the native plant survival courtesy of neighboring
Mattituck Park District's water (the boat ramp had no facilities). Although it was a bit
late for planting warm-season grasses, like switchgrass (
Panicum virgatum
) and little
bluestem (
Schizachyrium scoparium
), they went in at the top of swale. For the bottom
of the swale, rosemallow (
Hibiscus moscheutos
) was used since it thrives in our fresh-
water wetlands along with contrasting white turtlehead (
Chelone glabra
). Volunteers
from Mattituck High School helped with the plantings and cutting common reed.
Community support became even more apparent: a site survey was donated; Wood-
wrights, a local business, offered us wood for the Leopold benches; and free dump-
sters appeared from Mattituck Sanitation (fig. 21.3).
We continued developing the final buffer zone plans and curvaceous wave form
with the contractors. I wanted every detail curved to look more natural, which was
novel for the installers, who are used to angular engineering designs. Great care was
taken to engineer adequate uptake across the site with specific pavement percolation
through the sand substrate and upper layer of local pea gravel. The mixture of recy-
FIGURE 21.3.
The boat ramp area, complete with Leopold benches and native plantings, at
Lillian Ball's WATERWASH™ project in Southold, a small town in northeastern Long Island,
New York, USA. (Photo courtesy of Lillian Ball)
