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Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure |  |
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Case StudiesA number of green infrastructure programs and demonstration projects are currently underway in municpalities, capitol cities, and campuses across the country. By limiting the amount of stormwater runoff entering our sewer systems, these projects have verified that green roofs, porous pavements, vegetated swales and other forms of green infrastructure can serve as cost effective, environmentally preferable alternatives to conventional stormwater conveyance and treatment structures.
Green Municipalities The municipal case studies highlight how communities across the country are adopting green infrastructure for managing stormwater. These national leaders also demonstrate how coordinating efforts among city departments (i.e. Streets, Parks and Recreation, etc.) can generate a host of environmental, social, and economic benefits, in turn creating more livable, sustainable communities. Green Infrastructure Case Studies: Municipal Policies for Managing Stormwater with Green Infrastructure (PDF) (76 pp, 8.23MB) Summary: To promote the adoption of green infrastructure throughout the city, Chicago leads by example on public property, offers incentives to owners and developers of private property, and requires certain new and redevelopment projects to meet a quantitative performance standard. The visible outcomes of these efforts include 100 new green alleys, more than 70 new green roofs, and the expansion of the urban tree canopy by more than 580,000 trees, Less visible, but perhaps more significant, are the increasing familiarity with green infrastructure materials and practices among the construction and development communities. Location: Kansas: Lenexa Summary: In an effort to protect local water quality and improve quality of life for residents, Lenexa initiated the Rain to Recreation program. Since the program began in 2000, it has grown to include both regulatory and non-regulatory approaches as well as major capital projects and land acquisitions. Program highlights have been: protecting natural resource areas in the watershed, creating riparian greenways through application of the stream setback ordinance, and requiring green infrastructure practices on site. Location: Oregon: Portland Summary: In an effort to promote sustainable development, Portland has implemented multiple green infrastructure projects and programs and become a leader in the green infrastructure movement. In addition, the city has developed a series of policy decisions, which include requiring new municipal buildings to have a green roof and paying homeowners for disconnecting their downspouts. Location: Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Summary: Since 2006, Philadelphia has been using policies and demonstration projects throughout the city to help promote green infrastructure in the planning and development of the city. These new innovative policies and projects have drastically reduced CSO inputs and have saved the city approximately $170 million. Location: Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Summary: Green infrastructure practices and programs have been used by the City of Pittsburgh to manage stormwater and pollutants by using natural systems to help absorb, infiltrate, reuse and evaporate runoff, instead of using traditional infrastructure that collects and transports runoff through sewer systems. The city also has funded several demonstration projects as well as having the first ever LEED certified convention center. Location: Washington: Seattle Summary: Seattle launched a number of high-profile green infrastructure pilot projects in the 1990s to collect stormwater runoff and reduce the amount of impervious surfaces throughout the city. The projects highlighted include the Viewlands Cascade Project and Street Edge Alternatives that implemented a variety of green infrastructure practices such as rain gardens, rain barrels, downspout disconnection, swales, and green roofs. Location: Wisconsin: Milwaukee Summary: Milwaukee has invested in several greening programs such as the downspout disconnection and green roof program to limit the amount of stormwater runoff entering the CSO system and to improve water quality. These programs have been proven to be very successful in promoting green infrastructure and as a result the city continues to allocate funding to the various programs. Green Capitols The green capitols project seeks to facilitate and highlight green infrastructure retrofits in and around state capitol buildings. In 2009 and 2010 EPA provided design and other technical assistance to several state-municipal partnerships committed to implementing wet weather management projects using green infrastructure approaches on Capitol grounds, and streets and sidewalks immediately adjacent to the capitol. Location: Michigan: LansingSummary: The City of Lansing implemented a rain garden project that extends over four city blocks of Michigan Avenue. The implementation of these rain gardens have helped ease peak flows for nearly 90% of storm events. Public Education efforts have led to the City of Lansing instituting an "Adopt-a-Garden" program and a partnership with a local science museum. Location: Vermont: Montpelier Summary: With assistance from the EPA Green Capitols Project, Vermont Department of Buildings & General Services and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources installed rain gardens and stormwater swales at 133 State Street on the Vermont Capitol Complex in Montpelier. These green infrastructure practices are designed to capture runoff from a large parking area that drains to the City’s stormwater system, where it flows into the Winooski River and eventually into Lake Champlain. In addition to reducing runoff and improving water quality, this project will provide educational opportunities for the public. Green Campuses Green campuses across the country are adopting green infrastructure programs to manage wet weather, from K through 12 schools and colleges and universities. Many of these campuses have moved beyond demonstration projects to incorporating green infrastructure in campus master plans. Similar to municipal case studies, these projects are seeing the economic and environmental benefits of reducing stormwater runoff. Additionally, green infrastructure implementation on campus provides a unique learning experience for students at all levels. For many schools, incorporating green infrastructure is part of a suite of tools for creating sustainable campuses. Green Schools Initiative (www.greenschools.net Summary: Building renovations completed in 2006 include features that reduce water and energy use, provide wildlife habitat, and create a healthy and inspiring learning environment. Green infrastructure practices integrated into the building and site design are key components of the sustainable renovation. These practices include a green roof, rain garden, and rain cistern. Location: North Carolina: Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina) Summary: Since 2001, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has numerous green infrastructure stormwater management BMPs in place around campus, including porous pavement parking lots, above and below ground cisterns, stormwater plantings around campus, and green roofs. Future developments include a non-potable water utility from cistern stormwater and reclaimed water from the local wastewater treatment plant. Location: Oregon: Portland (Glencoe Elementary School) Summary: Between 2002 and 2003, Glencoe Elementary School was retrofitted with swale and rain garden technology with funding and direction from the City of Portland. Since their completion, green infrastructure retrofits have successfully captured 30-40% of the runoff that drains onto nearby residential areas, retaining 95% of the stormwater captured and reducing the impervious area of the school parking lot by 30%. Location: Oregon: Portland (Mt. Tabor Middle School) Summary: In 2007, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, in partnership with Portland Public schools implemented a stormwater retrofit project at the Mt. Tabor Middle School to transform a 4,000 square foot south side asphalt parking area into a rain garden; to install a vegetated swale and planter in the main parking lot; to install planters along the building and connect downspouts to three drywells; as well as build a single curb extension on 57th street next to the school entrance. Location: Pennsylvania: Philadelphia (Penn Alexander School) Summary: Innovative green infrastructure practices, such as an infiltration bed, porous playground and a rain garden, were implemented at the Penn Alexander School to reduce runoff flow and the amount of pollutants entering the city's combined sewer system. |
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