Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008 - (Page 21)

A view of the site before construction of the rain garden. wanted to do their part by implementing an extremely sustainable solution while creating an appealing, pedestrian friendly park in a highly urbanized area. How They Work Stormwater runoff gathers pollutants as it flows over the ground and impervious surfaces like roofs, driveways, sidewalks, streets and parking lots. All of these “hardscapes” prevent stormwater from soaking into the ground where it can be naturally filtered before entering an aquifer. The water instead runs directly into susceptible streams and water bodies, potentially causing adverse effects to plants, fish, animals and people. Pollutants such as detergents, salt, grease, oil, automobile coolant, fertilizers, pesticides and organic pollutants such as leaves, grass clippings and sediment all make their way into the natural water system. Sometimes referred to as “non-point pollution,” these contaminants can be harmful to drinking water supplies and water bodies used for recreation, fishing and wildlife. In many cases, the pollutants have a high nutrient content and cause changes in the oxygen levels, which are detrimental to aquatic life, and promote toxic algae blooms. In the Coca-Cola Rain Garden Project these types of pollutants are directed to the bio-swale and rain garden from the roofs and parking lots of adjacent businesses as well as a nearby municipal building. By redirecting polluted stormwater runoff to a rain garden, the plants and soil serve as a natural filter to cleanse the water before being released into streams, rivers and lakes. The landscape plants used in the Coca-Cola rain garden were all native to northeastern Illinois. It is important to note that the roots of these plants can be up to 10 feet deep with a very fibrous root structure while the roots for turf grass used in lawns across the United States are two inches deep. This shallow root depth of a typical turf grass lawn requires the plant to utilize a lot of water and fertilizer while native landscape plants in the Midwest need no watering or fertilizers once established. This is partly due to the fact that 80 percent of the plant mass for native plants is underground. This tremendous root structure can break- Stormwater Management Systems Our Product Line Includes: ° Detention Protect downstream channels from erosion. • Recharge Preserve existing ground water table elevation. • Infiltration Temporarily store WQv allowing infiltration into soil. • Filtration Remove 80% TSS, nutrients, hydrocarbons and trace metals. • Separation Remove suspended solids, free floating oil and debris. www.rotondo-es.com Circle 195 • or www.SLDTonline.com/webcard www.SLDTonline.com 21 http://www.rotondo-es.com http://www.SLDTonline.com/webcard http://www.SLDTonline.com

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Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008 Contents Our Voice Editorial Board SLDT Resources Dynamic Duo Holding Your Ground Technology Low Impact Stormwater Management Seeking Your Feedback Preferred Providers Bookstore Back from the Brink Finance Transportation Building Smart Industry News Advertiser Index Products/Services Showcase Marketplace Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008

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