April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 82

Operations
necessary in many cases, do not always
represent the best solutions, especially
in areas of existing high population
where such facilities are harder to implement. As they age, they also require
major reinvestment to maintain or to
replace them. Green infrastructure,
by contrast, has evolved into a suite of
low-impact techniques that are more
adaptable, less capital intensive and often provide a wider range of benefits.
Re-Thinking Stormwater Runoff
Low-impact techniques - specific
planning and design tools, such as
conservation easements, green roofs
and rain gardens and other bioengineering methods - are part of a
paradigm shift in our attitude toward
stormwater management in a world
where stormwater is both overabundant and scarce, frequently in the same
year. We cannot ignore the increasing
impact of stormwater, and we cannot

presence of more - and more interesting - green space. Parks, themselves, are green infrastructure at a
communitywide scale.
Mitigating Floods
Many communities face the threat
of flooding from heavy precipitation.
Coastal cities also face sea level rise
from climate change. Viewed simply as large-scale land conservation,
green infrastructure can help soak up
stormwater upstream from our communities, by preserving open space
and high-value wetlands in floodplains and upland areas, and reduce
the volume of runoff headed downstream. In downstream communities,
green infrastructure can help buffer
developed areas from flood impact
and limit damage. Parks and open
space in coastal communities can
help mitigate the effects of sea level
rise and storm flooding.

We cannot ignore the increasing impact of
stormwater, and we cannot afford to " dispose " of
stormwater by draining it off without making use of it.

afford to " dispose " of stormwater by
draining it off without making use of
it. In this new way of thinking, our
undeveloped lands along water courses in the low lying areas of our communities and also in the uplands will
serve as sponges that absorb, filter and
infiltrate water into the aquifers below.
Such actions provide other benefits in
addition to water quality and control,
such as environmental value through
increased and enhanced habitat, and
social value provided by the simple
80 Parks & Recreation

Improving Water Quality
Older cities face the challenge of aging stormwater and sanitary sewer
systems that were built as combined
systems in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. In many of these communities, federal Clean Water Act
compliance involves both stormwater and sanitary sewage, which are
sometimes mingled in combined
sewers that overflow in major storms,
dumping untreated sewage into waterways. Previous long-term control

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plans and wet weather plans were
based solely on construction of separate systems of huge pipes to store
overflow prior to treatment and release. Increasingly, cites are relying
on incremental green rather than (or
in addition to) gray infrastructure. A
community's park system represents
one of the larger " sponges " that can
be used to help reduce the flow of
stormwater to sewers. For example,
Philadelphia has granted approval
for a long-term control plan that relies largely on green infrastructure.
This is being undertaken with an
exemplary partnership between the
water utility, Philadelphia Water,
and the city's park and recreation
department. Kansas City and Pittsburgh have been granted approval,
and other cities such as Portland
are strong examples of places where
such approaches are being used.
Reducing the Impact of Drought
Western cities and, increasingly, midwestern and eastern cities face the
impact of drought of some duration.
Increasingly, parks are being used to
capture and store or infiltrate rainwater when it does fall, helping to keep
it local longer. For example, in Austin, Texas, the park and recreation
department is partnering with the
department of watersheds to restore
Shoal Creek in Pease Park, part of a
strategy to provide shallow infiltration depressions in lawn areas. These
areas balance recreational use with a
citywide flood control, water quality
and conservation mission to preserve
the aquifer that underlies the region.
Funding
The role of parks in helping to mitigate these major challenges provides
an opportunity for a different source
of funding for acquisition and green

April 2016 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2016 - Parks & Recreation