Transcript Using Rainwater to Grow Livable Communities

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Using Rainwater to Grow
Livable Communities
Sustainable Stormwater
Best Management Practices (BMPs)
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Basic Principles
• Treat water as a resource, not a waste product
• Design to mimic or replicate the natural
hydrology of a site
• Design to address issues of water quality,
quantity and amenity
• Accommodate the standards and expectations
of the local community
• Infiltrate, detain, retain
• Start small, build from there
• Collaboration is key
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What Do BMPs Look Like?
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Rain Gardens: Kansas City, MO
Raingardens are
bioretention areas
that increase
infiltration, recharge
groundwater, and
improve overall
water quality
McCarthy Garden in Kansas City
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Ecoroof: Chicago, IL
An ecoroof is a roof that is planted with
vegetation. It can reduce the heat imprint of a
building and reduce off-site runoff
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Detention and Infiltration Areas:
Belleview, WA
Detention and
infiltration areas
reduce the amount of
off-site runoff and the
speed with which
water enters local
waterbodies
High flow storage area next
to recreational facilities
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Right of Way Enhancements:
Portland, OR
Street right-ofways can be
modified to
capture runoff
from roadways
Green Street Swales - New Seasons Market
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Residential Communities:
Denver, CO
Detention areas,
planted with native
plants, perform a
stormwater
retention and water
quality improvement
function.
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What Can
Sustainable Stormwater Practices
Do For Me?
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Benefits of Sustainable Stormwater
Practices
• Reduce Runoff and Improve Water
Quality
• Add Amenity
• Meet Regulations
• Save Money
• Enhance Funding Options
• Improve Wildlife Habitat
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Reduce Runoff:
Burnsville, MN
Monitoring has shown that
•
The rain gardens in the Burnsville rain garden demonstration project capture at
least (and often more than) the first 0.9” of rainfall
•
There is a 90% reduction in runoff rates from the neighborhood with rain
gardens as compared to a similar neighborhood without rain gardens
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Add Amenity:
Philadelphia, PA
Vacant lot at 2300 North 3rd
Street before greening
Site was regraded to capture stormwater
and planted with trees, shrubs, and grass
The Philadelphia Public Works Department is a partner in the Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, which
transforms vacant lots into community-friendly spaces.
Converted spaces offer stormwater management benefits because the parklike spaces are outfitted with berms and swales that collect and infiltrate
rainfall and runoff, and natural vegetation promotes evapotranspiration.
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Meet Regulations:
Truckee Meadows, NV
A Regional Stormwater
Management Quality Program
was developed in response to
TMDL and NPDES Phase I
permit requirements
Program components include:
– Structural BMP Controls
– Land Use Planning and LID
Tools
– Public Outreach
Vegetated swale at Costco parking lot
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Save Money: Seattle, WA
Seattle Public Utilities has
projected that its Natural
Drainage Installations are
at least 25 percent less
expensive than traditional
stormwater systems due
to decreased build and
infrastructure
maintenance costs.
Broadview Green Grid Vegetated Swale
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Enhance Funding Options:
Milwaukee, WI
The Milwaukee
Metropolitan Sewerage
District partnered with
Alterra Coffee Roasters
to renovate a historic site
with stormwater
management features to
provide community
amenity and stormwater
management education
Stormwater is managed entirely on-site at
the former Milwaukee River Flushing
Station, now an Alterra Coffee Roasters
café and interpretive center
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Improve Wildlife Habitat:
Orlando, FL
Wetlands restoration,
greenspace corridors,
and other
environmental
enhancements are
standard features in
Orlando's redevelopment projects.
Greenwood Urban Wetlands
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How can we implement
BMPs in our community?