The City of Falls Church’s Lincoln Park, Lincoln Ave. and Great Falls St., will be closed on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, so that the City’s Department of Public Works crews can begin preparing the park for the rain garden installation projects. Parking will be restricted on the north side of Lincoln Ave.

The first phase of installation for the rain garden includes removing five white pine trees. The rain gardens will absorb storm water, alleviating flooding issues in the park. They also improve water quality. Pollutant-laden runoff from City rooftops, driveways, and other hard surfaces will be taken up by the newly-installed native plants and filtered through the specialized soils of the rain gardens. The resulting slowing of runoff and reduction in pollutants will benefit the City’s two watersheds, Four Mile Run and Tripps Run, as well as the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.

Lincoln Park is one of three City parks to receive rain gardens; Berman Park (Irving St. and Kent St.) and Crossman Park (end of Van Buren St.) will also have rain gardens installed in 2012.