Transcript Reducing Storm Water Runoff on Your Homesite

Reducing Storm Water
Runoff on Your Homesite
6090 Wedgewood Road
Medina, OH 44256
330-722-2628 (phone)
330-725-5829 (fax)
Local leadership for soil and water conservation.
The Goal
To demonstrate practices homeowners
can implement to reduce the volume of
storm water flowing off their property.
Natural Areas
•Many air and water
pockets
•Numerous micro
and macro
organisms
•Deep plant root
growth
•High surface
water infiltration
and detention
•Low surface water
runoff and erosion
Developed Areas
• Few air and water
pockets
• Limited micro and
macro organisms
• Shallow root growth
• Low surface water
detention and
infiltration
• High surface water
runoff and erosion
Runoff Generated by 1” Rainfall
over 1-acre Parcel
30000
25000
27154
20000
15000
Gallons
10000
5000
0
135
Forest
Parking Lot
Impacts of Increased
Runoff Volumes
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
A combination of
practices that…
 Increase
infiltration
 Better manage runoff & promote
“run-on”
 Decrease impervious surfaces
Increase Infiltration
 Reduce
soil compaction
 Landscaping alternatives
 Turf management
Soil Compaction
Porosity of Urban Lawns = 30%
The avg. porosity of a compacted building pad = 30%
Reverse Soil Compaction
on Existing Homes: Add Compost
A study completed in
Seattle, WA showed
the addition of
compost amendments
to urban soils reduced
runoff from 29-50%
over soils with no
amendments added.
Reverse Soil Compaction on Existing
Homes: Aerate Your Lawn
Reverse Soil Compaction
on Existing Homes: Plant Trees
Permeability Rates
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
15
Inches/hour
0.14
Lawn #1
0.03
Lawn #2
Natural
Woods
Study completed in Ocean County, NJ – March ’01
Tree Canopy Cover Study:
Garland, TX – 3.86 acre site
Effects of Canopy Cover on Runoff Reduction
18
16
% Runoof Reduction
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
% Canopy Cover
30
35
40
45
Minimize Soil Compaction on New
Homes: Avoid Compaction
Tree
Protection
Area
Minimize Soil Compaction on New
Homes: Break-up Compaction
Increase Infiltration:
Landscape Alternatives
Increase Infiltration:
Turf - Let it Grow Tall
Plant Height
Root Depth
Better Manage Runoff &
Promote “Run-on”
 Disconnect
gutter downspouts
 Collect storm water
 Maintain open swales and ditches
 Slope impervious areas
Typical Gutter Downspout
Disconnected downspouts direct roof runoff
away from the foundation and into the lawn.
Be sure to check with your local
jurisdiction for rules pertaining this.
Roof runoff is piped from
downspout to a dry well.
Be sure to check with your
local jurisdiction for
rules pertaining this.
Rain Collection Barrel –
use for watering gardens
Road-side ditches absorb
more water than culverts
Open Ditch
Enclosed Ditch
Grassed swales absorb
more water than culverts
Culverted Swale
Grassed Swale
Typical Sloping Driveway
Drains directly to the road
“Crowned” Driveway
Drains directly to the lawn
Decrease Impervious Areas:
Pervious Alternatives
Decrease Impervious Areas:
Building Up vs. Out
Type of
House
Living
Space
Roof
Area
Ranch
(1-story)
2000 ft2
2000 ft2
Colonial
(2-story)
3000 ft2
1500 ft2
Runoff
from 1”
Rainfall
1250
gallons
938
gallons
Top 5 Practices to Implement
on an Existing Home





Let grass grow taller
Maintain all open drainageways (ditches &
swales)
Disconnect downspouts and/or use a rain
barrel or cistern
Aerate your lawn
Plant trees & shrubs
Top 5 Practices to Implement
on a New Home





Prevent soil compaction during construction
Add organic amendments to your soil
Plant trees & shrubs
Disconnect downspouts and/or use a rain
barrel or cistern
Promote “run-on”