Green Infrastructure and Managing Stormwater

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The US EPA has identified stormwater as a great contributor to the pollution of waterways. However, many developers continue to rely on gray wastewater infrastructure to manage stormwater. This infrastructure has proven repeatedly to be inadequate for the management of stormwater.

Green infrastructure is emerging as the more sustainable choice for stormwater management. This infrastructure consists of natural systems used to capture, reduce, and filter stormwater. They include trees, plants, and soil.

Green infrastructure offers various benefits for the environment, human health, and the economy. This article discusses the role of green infrastructure in managing stormwater.

Stormwater Management Can Effectively Reduce Pollution From Groundwater Runoff | Gregory Voetsch

Green Infrastructure and Managing Stormwater

There’s much more to the plants and trees we see in urban areas than meets the eye. These natural systems are vital for the management of stormwater in a sustainable way.

What is green infrastructure?

Green infrastructure is a term used to describe natural stormwater management systems that include vegetation. The term encompasses trees on roadsides and in parks, vegetated rooftops, gardens and other natural systems used to reduce, capture and filter stormwater.

Green infrastructure works by mimicking natural hydrological processes. It uses natural elements such as plants and soil, to turn the wastewater into a resource. It is unlike gray infrastructure (the traditional water management systems), which consists of pipes, storm drains, and concrete. These conventional systems only collect and channel runoff. The water often enters waterways untreated.

Why Green Infrastructure is Important for Storm Water Management

Stormwater runoff has been described by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the fastest-growing pollution sources in the country.

Runoff occurs when the snow melts or when there is a rainstorm. The water flows over the ground into sewers, drains, and waterways. When the surface on which the runoff is flowing is porous, e.g., soil, there is less runoff. Up to 90 percent of runoff in areas such as meadows, forests, and other natural landscapes is absorbed. It is unlike in urban areas with concrete pavements, tarmac roads, and tiled rooftops. That is because a good percentage of the surface in urban areas is impervious. Gregory Voetsch

The problem with runoff is that it isn’t just pure water from the rainfall flowing to the waterways. When runoff begins to run, it takes various pollutants along with it. These include sediment, mineral salts, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals. As per estimates, about 10 trillion gallons of runoff from US cities enter into waterways untreated every year. That results in the pollution of coastal waters, lakes, rivers, and streams. It is not only a public health issue but also destroys ecosystems.

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Runoff also results in soil erosion. Soil erosion along waterways can result in the loss of habitats. It also results in changes in the basic morphology of water paths. Erosion takes away the nutritious topsoil.

Another effect of runoff is the overflowing of sewage. Many municipalities across the US have combined sewer systems that cater to domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, and stormwater. When the capacity of the systems gets exceeded, they overflow. When there is a big rainstorm or when the snow melts, the excess runoff drains into the sewer system. It results in the overflowing of the sewer system. Raw sewage and other pollutants are released untreated into waterways.

Stormwater runoff is also the cause of flooding in urban areas. Inadequate stormwater management systems can result in repetitive flooding, and It can take a toll on the economy. There is damage to food, infrastructure, deterioration of water quality, and increased health concerns.

Green infrastructure – a sustainable choice

Green infrastructure is emerging as the better choice for the management of stormwater.Gregory Voetsch. Green infrastructure provides more absorbent surfaces to capture runoff. Plants take up water and release it into the air through evapotranspiration. Green infrastructure reduces and filters runoff for a cleaner and healthier environment. Every developer ought to include green infrastructure in their plans for a more sustainable future.