Storm Water Management

The Wharf, Washington DC

SUSTAINABLE SITE PLANNING & LANDSCAPE

Storm Water Management K. VINEETHA 19171NB003

Public works dept., Massachusetts Amherst

DISCUSSION OUTLINE Contents Introduction Defining Stormwater Management Factors of Stormwater Management Instances of falling Stormwater Stormwater Pollution Importance of Stormwater Management Sustainable practices Environmental benefits

Inferences 19171NB003 | CONTENTS

Stormwater management in landscape architecture includesa broad range of applications and issues.

It includes long-term regional planning

INTRODUCTION

concerning

land

areas

measured

in

square kilometers.

Stormwater is, in essence, just what is sounds like: water from a storm.

It also includes site design where land areas are more appropriately measured in square meters.

At every level, stormwater management is the prediction and direction of the movementof stormwater runoff.

19171NB003 | Greenville County Soil and Water Conservation District, Time Saver Standards (Landscape)

TSS Landscape

Stormwater management is as much an art as a science, requiring judgement in the use of available data and application of calculations and techniques.

Stormwater is rainwater or melted snow that runs off streets, lawns and other sites. When stormwater is absorbed into soil, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers.

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

DEFINATION 19171NB003 | Time Saver Standards (Landscape), Environmental Protection Agency, USA

FACTORS

PRECIPITATION AND RUNOFF

Precipitation occurs as rainfall, snowfall, or mixtures of each. Snow and snow melt are not typically major factors in small watersheds.

WATERSHED CONDITIONS The Hydrological cycle

The

HYDROLOGIC CYCLE The hydrologic cycle is the global process

of

movement.

the The

earth's

water

energy

that

operates the system comes from the sun and the earth's gravity.

watershed

has

a

topographically

determined boundary, consisting of a line of ridges and saddle points that divides the land contributing runoff water to the particular point of concern, from areas that contribute runoff elsewhere.

19171NB003 | Time Saver Standards (Landscape)

USUALLY THERE ARE TWO INSTANCES: 1. In a natural landscape without development, stormwater is absorbed into the ground or falls into bodies of water. This gives needed water to plants and animals and replenishes reserves of surface and groundwater.

2. In

contrast,

stormwater

in

an

falls

urban

landscape,

onto

impervious

The Natural water cycle

Towards a more sustainable Urban water cycle

surfaces (surfaces that do not absorb water)

such

as

roads,

sidewalks,

rooftops, or parking lots and is not

The Urban water cycle

soaked up by the ground.

INSTANCES OF FALLING STORMWATER 19171NB003 | Greenville County Soil and Water Conservation District

STORMWATER POLLLUTION When it rains, some of the rainwater soaks into the ground, and part of it flows over the ground and directly into creeks, streams or rivers, known as stormwater runoff.

Sometimes

this

stormwater

runoff

gets

polluted. Pollution is anything that harms natural resources, whether it is air, soil, or in this case, water.

Sometimes the pollution is something that can be seen, like trash floating on top of the water. Other times it can’t be seen at all, like

What is Stormwater Pollution?

when motor oil from a car washes into a nearby creek.

19171NB003 | The Eastern Washington Stormwater Outreach project, muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/

EFFECTS OF POLLUTION Polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals and people.

Sediment can cloud the water and make it difficult or impossible for aquatic plants to grow.

Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Making it difficult for the fish and other aquatic organisms to exist in water due to low dissolved oxygen levels.

Land animals and people can become sick from eating diseased fish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water.

Polluted stormwater often affects drinking water sources. This, in turn, can affect human health and increase drinking water treatment costs.

19171NB003 | The Eastern Washington Stormwater Outreach project

IMPORTANCE OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT MAINTAIN THE NATURAL

PREVENT AN INCREASED RISK OF

HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

FLOODING

Without proper stormwater

Effective stormwater management helps to

management, infiltration can

keep flooding in check. Areas that

decrease reducing soil

embrace stormwater management have a

replenishment and groundwater

low risk of flooding and thus, less likely to

recharge. It is worth noting that

experience the negative effects of

soil moisture is essential in

flooding. Urban areas and other areas with

sustaining vegetation and the

less vegetation are likely to experience

reason it has a role to play in

flooding upon heavy downpours unless

maintaining the natural hydrologic

proper management techniques are used.

cycle.

19171NB003 | Consever Energy Future

PREVENT UNDESIRABLE

PROTECT WATER

STREAM EROSION

QUALITY

By reducing the speed and amount

Stormwater management plays a critical

of water running to the streams,

role in ensuring water

stormwater management helps to

quality. Contaminants such as grease, oil,

prevent excessive erosion. If

pesticides, metals, plastic and pesticides

stormwater is not managed, it can

from gardens and normal daily uses tend

cause excessive erosion that may

to build upon surfaces. If stormwater is not

prevent the stream from fulfilling

managed, it can carry the contaminants to

its normal function of conveying

water sources such as streams, lakes,

water and sediment.

oceans, and even groundwater.

19171NB003 | Consever Energy Future

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

19171NB003 | Global Designing Cities Initiative: Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Management

SWALE

RAIN GARDEN

PERMEABLE PAVING

Swales carry water like pipes

Rain

a

Permeable

paving

and are designed as shallow,

special soil filter media that

rainfall to

move through

open,

to

can remove pollutants from

the pavement to the soil

remove

road runoff. Configure plant

beneath and provide water

an

and soil filtration systems

to landscape areas nearby.

piped

as garden beds or street

Alternate

drainage system where space

tree pits such that they are

permeable

and grade is available. Water

designed

treat

reduce stormwater runoff

moves horizontally along the

stormwater

Rain

and

surface

gardens

convey

planted runoff

pollutants. alternative

or

channels and

They to

in

are a

subsurface

gardens

have

to

with

pavement

recharge

the

to

water

table. These may be in the

bio-retention systems, flat

form of block pavers with

flow and trap sediments to

bio-swales,

infiltration

improve the water quality.

planters, or pervious strips.

Swales

slow

water

also

surfaces

called

layers.

are

runoff.

allows

flow-through

gaps

between

pavers.

19171NB003 | Global Designing Cities Initiative: Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Management

STREET TREES AND

TREE PIT AND SOIL

PLANTING

VOLUME

Trees provide shade and cool

Continuous

the air, benefitting the comfort

increase

of people using the street. While

surface area and provide

areas

designing, find opportunities for

more space for tree roots.

provides irrigation to the

plants

the

Ensure

plants

the

area,

and

trees

streetscape

to

within reduce

the

soil

hydration

surface.Plant

Coordinate

in

green

growth

volumes,

and

Directing stormwater to the surface

of and and

stormwater

landscaped tree

pits

reduces runoff

into

for

trees.

local drains and citywide

tree

planting

systems. Passive irrigation

strips, parking bays, and rain

with

infrastructure

is one of the simpler and

gardens.

elements to avoid conflict,

easier ways to incorporate

stock and appropriate planting

particularly

water-sensitive design.

techniques

transportation and utilities.

High-quality are

vital

plant to

the

other

pits

plantable

sufficient

amount of hard, impermeable trees

tree

PASSIVE IRRIGATION

with

success of any planting.

19171NB003 | Global Designing Cities Initiative: Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Management

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS Water conservation and reduction of pesticides and fertilizers entering stormwater.

Reduction of toxic contaminants entering stormwater.

Improved air quality, but also reduction of oil and grease, metals and other contaminants.

Reduction in oxygen demanding substances, nutrients and bacteria entering stormwater.

Reduction in sediment and many associated contaminants entering stormwater.

19171NB003 | muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/

INFERENCES AS ARCHITECTS AND

REFERENCES 1.

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNERS WE NEED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT TO Bridge the gap between aesthetically pleasing site design and the functionality of the landscape.

Accentuate the movement of water as it falls and flows through the site Enhance existing projects.

GREENVILLE COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

2.

TIME SAVER STANDARDS (LANDSCAPE)

3.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, USA

4.

THE EASTERN WASHINGTON STORMWATER OUTREACH PROJECT,

5. MUEXTENSION.MISSOURI.EDU/XPLOR 6.

CONSEVER ENERGY FUTURE

7.

GLOBAL DESIGNING CITIES INITIATIVE: GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT