The Kleinfelder Blog

The new rain garden located at the Keach Family Library in Robstown, Texas, was recently opened to the public through a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by more than 50 community members and local leaders. Kleinfelder-Doucet provided design engineering services for the project. The rain garden, nestled between the main building and the property’s stormwater retention pond, exemplifies stormwater management best practices (BMPs) in the Texas Coastal Zone. It has a constructed volume of 161 cubic feet, capable of capturing stormwater runoff from the library’s roof and sidewalks, thereby reducing pollutant loading in the pond and improving site drainage. The project plaque, unveiled during the ceremony, informs library patrons on the value of utilizing engineered solutions in harmony with natural processes to achieve best-fit solutions to address stormwater management goals. The rain garden is intended to be a demonstration of stormwater BMPs and an educational resource for the surrounding community.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony held on September 19, the community had the opportunity to hear from the project team and local leaders. Nick Dornak, Water Strategies Lead at Doucet, a Kleinfelder Company, spoke at the event, highlighting the engineering design of the project and thanking local and state stakeholders for their support. Dornak commented, “This small but mighty rain garden serves as a great example of how our buildings and infrastructure can exist in harmony with the natural environment. We hope it will inspire others to consider rain gardens as part of their stormwater management plans.”

Additional speakers included John Marez, Nueces County Precinct 3 Court Commissioner; Dr. Christina Lopez of Texas State University; and Scott Cross, Director of Nueces County Parks. Kleinfelder-Doucet’s Rick Reyes, part of the project team, also attended the ceremony.

Check out more from the Keach Family Library in the video below!