James Madison University - Index

James Madison University - Madison Magazine - Summer 2009 - Index

“We’ve never actually seen it wet,” says Nicolas Jaramillo (’09), standing in the wetland he helped create on the construction site of
the new Rockingham Memorial Hospital. “But this is the lowest place on the property,” explains project partner Bonnie Tang (’09),
“so this is where the water wants to flow.” The intensely green grass along this low swath of land between rolling brown hills testifies
to the subsurface seepage of moisture in an unusually dry year. This flow is the headwaters of the stream known as Pleasant Run.
F L O W I N G
GJMU-RMH Collaborative creates wetland at new hospital
Guided by Wayne Teel, integrated science
and technology professor, and supported
by the JMU-RMH Collaborative,
Jaramillo and Tang designed a two-acre
wooded wetland to filter water flowing
from the new hospital grounds into
Pleasant Run (and ultimately into the
Chesapeake Bay). The integrated science
and technology students’ project
will be a special area of natural beauty at
Virginia’s first hospital certified by the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design green building rating system.
Established in early 2007, the JMU-
RMH Collaborative aims to expand the
century-long relationship between the
two institutions by building networks
for communication and development of
shared initiatives.
As the collaborative
celebrated its second
birthday in April,
interim Dean of the
College of Integrated
Science and Technology
(and collaborative
leader) Sharon
Lovell (’85) counted
ISAT majors Nicolas
Jaramillo (’09)
and Bonnie Tang
(’09) check a tree
sapling inside the
intense green of
the wooded wetland
they helped
create at Rockingham
Memorial
Hospital. Above:
ISAT professor
Wayne Teel guided
the design of the
two-acre project.
B Y D E S I G N
some 20 new projects
to be discussed.
“And those are just
the ones we know
about,” she says. “We
have no formal submission
procedures or
any oversight; we’re
strictly a facilitative
body. We try to pave
the way for people to
move forward with
joint projects that
benefit students, faculty members, the
hospital and the community.”
Paving is an apt metaphor for Lovell but
it’s the source of a problem at the new RMH
site. The original 254-acre farm is being
transformed into an intensively humandominated
landscape. Rain running off
roofs, parking lots and other impermeable
surfaces will carry a wide variety of pollutants
and sediments into Pleasant Run. A downstream
segment of Pleasant Run is already
on the state’s list of “impaired” streams, due
mainly to bacteria from livestock manure, so
water quality is a crucial issue.
Two existing farm ponds and two new
ponds that were built to contain runoff
from soil exposed by construction had
to be woven into the plan for water flow
through the wetland. Sewer, water and gas
lines running beneath the low area, plus
sewer system manhole covers at surface
level, further complicated the challenge of
directing water flow. Jaramillo and Tang
designed two long humps of earth, called
berms, at right angles to the water flow to
mimic a natural stream meander and to
slow the velocity of the water.
“The most important thing,” Teel says, “is
slowing the water to reduce flooding impact
and prevent erosion.” At about 15-inches
high, the berms were kept low enough to
allow exceptionally heavy rains — during
hurricanes, for example — to simply flow
over them rather than rush around the berm
ends, digging gullies in the process.
“It took many months of surveying,
mapping, planning and communicating
with everyone,” Tang explains, “and then
the berms were built in a week. It was
very gratifying to see a physical result.”
Jaramillo and Tang also contracted with
By Chris Bolgiano
a local company to plant more than 400
trees and shrubs. Because of low rainfall and
soil type, they selected native species that
can handle dry as well as wet conditions
rather than wetland plants only. “RMH
funded the work, and we minimized the
cost of everything so we could maximize
the number of plants we could get,” says
Tang. Plant roots hold soil against the erosive
force of water, giving the soil time to
absorb and break down pollutants.
“What we didn’t expect,” says Jaramillo,
“was how heavily the deer would
browse the plants. Replanting might be
necessary. We’ve installed a solar electric
experimental deer exclusion fence. Once
the plants are established, little to no wetland
maintenance will be necessary.”
Debra Thompson, RMH associate director
for communication, says, “We’re committed
to monitoring the wetland and doing
what’s needed to ensure that it thrives. Our
long-term vision is to create a beautiful parklike
setting with trails that offer a unique
wellness opportunity for patients, visitors
and the entire community.”
To complement the planned trails, Jaramillo
and Tang considered aesthetics in
choosing plants. Redbud trees and several
varieties of dogwood will enhance springtime;
iris, marsh marigold, cardinal flower,
great blue lobelia and other wildflowers will
bloom throughout summer. Witch hazel
bushes will add yellow blooms to fall foliage,
and holly trees will enliven winter with
red berries. Most of the plants selected will
attract insects and birds to their flowers
or fruits. “One of our goals was to attract
native wildlife, especially birds,” Tang says.
Canada geese and mallards preening on one
of the ponds seemed happy to oblige. M
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DIANE ELLIOTT ('00) SUMMER 2009 41