Wickford Cove Demonstration Site

David and Deirdre (URI Master Gardener) Wrenn, Loop Drive,
North Kingstown, RI

Special thanks to Patricia Mullins, URI Landscape Architecture Program, for dedicating much thought and time to the site design and plant selection.



Area 3: Stormwater Runoff Management -- Roof Runoff

The turn of the century home contains gothic style roof peaks, which are not readily adapted to a traditional modern roof gutter system--both structurally and aesthetically.

Roof runoff concentrates and pours off three corners of the house with enough force and volume to create temporary ponding and bare spots where nothing will grow. The owners are not interested in collecting this rainwater with various rainwater collection systems, especially due to the effects on the aesthetics of the house. The soils around the house and yard are well drained, so problems with ponding are due to poor grading along the house foundation and surface infiltration being reduced by years of periodic inundation of stormwater runoff.

Goal: The plan is to skim the top three to six inches of soil off of these runoff impacted areas, gently grade the existing soil away from the house foundation and towards the lawn and garden areas, and replace with crushed stone (3/8 blue stone) to absorb the force of the runoff and help dissipate and infiltrate the water into the ground. Landscape fabric will be placed beneath the crushed stone to prevent weeds and fines from mixing with the crushed stone layer. The perimeter areas surrounding the crushed stone will be planted to hosta to soften the contours and provide scenic enhancement.

runoff from a large, gothic style roof area concentrates and pours off the northwest corner of the house, July 2003

this creates ponding and denuded areas, July 2003

July 2003

The area has been skimmed and gently graded to drain away from the house. Landscape fabric was placed beneath the stone. October 2003.

3/8 inch crushed blue stone, October 2003. Stone was placed at a thicker depth at the point of direct impact from the roof runoff. Again, the area slopes gently away from the house. October 2003.

Hostas from on site have been planted around the permiter of the crushed stone to soften and blend the edges of the stone work. These plants can also tolerate the temporary inundation of stormwater. May 2004 July 6, 2005

Runoff from two other sections of roof area create similar ponding problems

Southern edge of house next to kitchen entrance. This area around the house foundation and kitchen entrance pond due to poor surface grading and the large runoff volume from a large roof area, July 2003.

The plants in this area were removed and transplanted. The soil was skimmed and graded gently away from the house. October 2003.

Landscape fabric was placed underneath the 3/8 inch crushed blue stone.

Hosta from on-site was planted to soften the edge of the stone. Hosta can also withstand the temporary inundation of runoff. May 2004. July 6, 2005

The northeast corner of house where it adjoins an enclosed back porch area, July 2003.

The daylillies in the area of impact were removed, the soil was skimmed, landscape fabric installed, and 3/8 inch crushed stone was placed. October 2003. May 2004

Area 1: Coastal Bank -- Sustainable Plantings

Area 2: Shade Bed -- Sustainable Plantings