Durkees Run Stormwater Park

The Durkees Run Stormwater Park, located adjacent to Lafayette Jefferson High School, is designed to manage the local watershed by capturing, treating, infiltrating, and conveying stormwater. Durkees Run is meant to be educational, with signage around the park to explain its various features, including rain gardens, permeable pavers, a pressure wall and flood stage plaza. This park is heavily-landscaped to be aesthetically pleasing to the public while also educating the public on the importance of stormwater management. Through the various stormwater management practices, this park carries stormwater on Sagamore Parkway between South Street and McCarty Lane.
Durkees Run Stormwater Park Overview

The following is a map of the stormwater park and where the various stormwater management practices and educational aspects can be found:

Park Map

DurkeesStormPark

Rain Gardens

There are 11 rain gardens located at the stormwater park, which are fed by the water that runs off the adjacent Lafayette Jefferson High School stadium and football field.
JS7

Permeable Pavers

There are approximately 6500 square feet of permeable pavers at the stormwater park, with limestone in between the paver blocks. These pavers prevent puddles and flooding from occurring during rain events, as the water infiltrates between the blocks.
JS19

Water Pressure Box

The water pressure box is an educational aspect of this park, which demonstrates how water movement is affected by pressure and depth. As water depth increases in the chamber, the pressure of the water increases. There are holes in the side, as shown in the picture below, that release water to show the different water pressure at varying depths.
JS13

Flood Stage Plaza

This flood stage plaza is filled with native plants and has various markers showing where the flood level would be when heavy rain events occur. As shown clearly below, the "10 Year" marker shows the level at which water would reach during a storm that occurs only every 10 years. There are 2. 10, 50, and 100-year storm markers in this park.
IMG_5164

Amphitheater

The amphitheater and outdoor classroom, shown below, are used by the school or the public to teach on the benefits of the stormwater park and other environmental-related subjects, such as biology, in a hands-on environment different from the traditional classroom.
IMG_5168