Pitt’s 9 rain gardens detain and absorb excess rainwater, enabling it to naturally infiltrate into and nourish the soil, while helping mitigate Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) issues.
What is a Rain Garden?
- Bigelow Boulevard – features a series of rain gardens.
- Cathedral Rain Garden – is very visible, located on the Cathedral lawn between Heinz Chapel and the log cabin.
- Petersen Events Center Rain Garden – includes 4 rain gardens, 1 of which was the University’s first rain garden which came to fruition form ideas initiated by students; it now also hosts a solitary bee house.
- Salk Hall Annex Rain Gardens (2)
- Sutherland Hall Rain Garden
The University of Pittsburgh's related goals are:
- DRAINAGE: Responsibly manage stormwater by increasing pervious surfaces, improving campus porosity, and removing
and improving lawn areas with native, sustainable landscapes (compared to 2017 baselines). - STORMWATER: Divert 25% of stormwater from impervious surfaces by 2030 via above ground (green) and rainwater reuse infrastructure.
