Menasha rain garden works like mini water treatment plant

From an article by Michael King in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

MENASHA — The shallow dug-out area in front of the Gilbert office building at 400 Ahnaip St. is not a golf sand trap under construction, but rather a garden.

More precisely, it's a 240-square-foot rain garden that's part of a collaborative project between the Menasha Sustainability Committee, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission staff, developer Randy Stadtmueller of Neenah and some local businesses that aims to show the public how they work.

"Essentially, rain gardens are beautiful, miniature water treatment plants," said Eric Fowle, East Central executive director. Staff at the regional planning agency have built a retaining wall for the project and will plant vegetation next spring.
It's an urban storm water management tool that officials hope will serve as a visible "demonstration project" for the public, said Greg Keil, Menasha community development director.

Fowle said rainwater from half of the office building's roof will be funneled into the rain garden instead of going directly into the adjacent duck pond or the city storm sewer.