Green Infrastructure for Water Management

Overview:

Green Infrastructure is an interconnected network of green space and other environmental assets that conserve the functions of the natural ecosystem and provide benefits to human populations. In urban environments, green infrastructure includes open spaces; parks; trails and greenways; urban forests; riparian lands; swamps and wetlands; urban agriculture; and vacant lands. Green infrastructure can accomplish multiple ecological and regulatory goals while reducing infrastructure costs and adverse development impacts.

Green infrastructure can complement or eliminate conventional storm water infrastructure investments, enhancing communities’ resiliency in the face of increasing development and adding capacity to handle increasing precipitation intensity that is predicted as an impact of climate change.

Typical steps in the development of a green infrastructure strategy include:

• Developing a baseline assessment of the current storm water management infrastructure and green infrastructure network.
• Identification of demonstration project sites and community education.
• Development of implementation scenarios and financial performance models.
• Auditing of planning, zoning, and development ordinances that may impact permeability, required infrastructure, and runoff performance and recommended changes.
• Engineering studies to verify performance and adjust future implementation.

USA Network Capabilities:

The USA network can support customers in the following product areas.

• Baseline mapping of existing drainage network, land use, impermeable and permeable surfaces
• Green infrastructure opportunity analysis, indicating areas where particular green infrastructure practices (rain gardens/biofiltration, vegetated swales, tree planting, green roofs, permeable pavement, native vegetation) can be implemented to meet performance targets in defined scenarios or designated improvement zones
• Demonstration project implementation and partnership development
• Implementation assistance, organizing and monitoring
• Assessment of current stormwater, zoning and development policies; recommendations for changes, incentives to accelerate, prioritize or require GI approaches.

For more information, see Green Infrastructure for Water Management Background.