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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/351389
50 Landscape and Irrigation August 2014 www.landscapeirrigation.com N ot that long ago, the traditional approach to storm- water management focused on directing the runoff, created by torrential downpours, from a site into the sewer system and eventually into a river basin. This practice often resulted in the erosion of stream beds and river banks, and has led to the contamination/poor health of numerous bodies of water throughout the country. Today, we are much savvier about the impact this traditional approach has had on the quality of our water supply. So much so that local, state, and federal agencies have increased their attention and regulation of stormwater management. Many of the proposed solutions to address stormwater-related impacts involve integrating runoff reduction practices into the landscape. And this is creating new income opportunities for landscape professionals in installing and maintaining green infrastructure. Green infrastructure, the techniques used to implement low impact development (LID), uses vegetation and soil to man- age rainwater where it falls. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "LID employs principles such as pre- serving and recreating natural landscape features, minimizing effec- tive imperviousness to create functional and appealing site drainage that treat stormwater as a resource rather than a waste product. There are many practices that have been used to adhere to these principles such as bio-retention facilities, rain gardens, vegetated rooftops, rain barrels, and permeable pavements. By implementing LID principles and practices, water can be managed in a way that reduces the impact of built areas, and promotes the natural move- ment of water within an ecosystem or watershed." Green infrastructure practices can improve stormwater manage- ment by: • Reducing stormwater volume. Runoff is captured or absorbed by the green infrastructure practice, thereby reducing the flow of stormwater to the storm sewer, reducing the occurrence of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) where they exist, and reduc- ing flooding in local waterways. • Reducing impervious cover. Surfaces that allow water to penetrate are "pervious" or "permeable," while those that do not are "impervious." • Decreasing and delaying peak discharge. Peak dis- charge is the highest rate of flow in a stream, which is influ- enced by the land cover in the surrounding watershed. In areas with high impervious cover, green infrastructure practices — in addition to decreasing runoff to streams — capture and absorb stormwater volume, slowly infiltrating water into the ground. This reduces peak volumes, thereby lessening the burden on the sewer system. • Preventing pollution. Many green infrastructure practices filter or remove stormwater pollutants, such as heavy metals, nutri- ents, sediment, and pathogens, which leads to improved water quality. In addition, green infrastructure often prevents pollution- carrying runoff from reaching the local waterway by absorbing and treating stormwater near its source. • Recharging groundwater. Green infrastructure techniques that absorb runoff — tree plantings, permeable pavement and pav- ers, vegetative swales and rain gardens — allow water to penetrate into the soil infrastructure. There is growing demand for this type of work, particularly associated with regulations to protect water from pesticides and fertilizers. Landscape companies should consider learning about the connection between the landscape and stormwater management industries with the idea of adding stormwater management exper- tise to their existing service offerings. Tom Delaney, is director of government affairs at the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). He can be reached via e-mail at TomDelaney@landcarenetwork.org. Staying Current By Tom Delaney Green Infrastructure Stormwater and your Business Image ©istockphoto.com/prill LI