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The Shepherd Creek experience and some lessons learned
Citation:
SHUSTER, W. D., M. A. MORRISON, J. BEAULIEU, H. THURSTON, A. A. DELACRUZ, AND D. J. LYE. The Shepherd Creek experience and some lessons learned. Presented at SOCOMA workshop, held as a part of Novatech conf, Lyon, FRANCE, June 27 - July 01, 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform EPA.
Description:
A decentralized, retrofit approach to storm water management was implemented in a small suburban drainage on the basis of a voluntary reverse auction. This campaign led to the installation of 83 rain gardens and 176 rain barrels on approximately 20 percent of 350 residential properties in the watershed. One area of the drainage showed unusually high (~50%) adoption of the rain garden and rain barrels (up to four) that were offered. We studied this neighborhood for the potential of these practices to reduce stormwater volume and how effectiveness would be modulated by changes in connectivity of impervious surface to the management practices, and seasonal impacts on the comparative practicality and function amongst the gardens and barrels. Seasonal impacts were negligible for rain gardens (which maintained detention capacity across the seasons). Rain barrels played a more minor role due to the relatively small amount of detention that they offer, although this management practice apparently offered other non-structural benefits. We found that landowner engagement in disconnecting larger extents of impervious surface would be critical in making this sort of program most effective.