Training and Education

Decentralized Stormwater Techniques

Publication Date: August 2010
Cooperating Institution: Low Impact Development Center
Principal Investigator: Neil Weinstein
Project Budget: $115,600
Project Identifier: DEC4R06

DESCRIPTION

This project added new and targeted content to the popular “Using Rainwater to Grow Livable Communities” website at www.werf.org/livablecommunities. This website provides planners, builders, developers, landscape architects, designers, engineers, stormwater managers, and elected officials creative new ideas on sustainable stormwater practices. The site includes practical tools, frameworks for implementation and planning aids that can be adapted to a particular community or project.

New content added to the site includes:

  • Information on creating successful green street programs and promoting them.
  • Guidance for retrofits – feasibility, challenges, maintenance, and policies to facilitate adoption.
  • Examples of incentive programs and policies to promote stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) and adoption of city-wide stormwater management plans.
  • Planning tools including typical cross-sections and details showing how to integrate stormwater BMPs into various land uses, from dense urban areas to suburban neighborhoods.
  • Information on program financing and economic benefits.
  • Descriptions of the variety of stormwater BMPS and Low Impact Development (LID) techniques available.
  • An Interactive BMP planning/modeling tool.

The updated site can be customized to display content for two new user categories: "Planner" and "Builder/Developer."

The new information provided enhances the existing case studies from all across the U.S. The case studies focus on real communities dealing with real issues, such as street flooding, green roof technology, public-private partnerships, and stormwater retrofitting. Lessons learned from these successful projects can help community partners integrate sustainable stormwater practices and green infrastructure into development projects.