In the 1950’s to 1980’s heyday of suburbia, development was simple-minded. A bulldozer leveled the site, including trees wetlands and wildlife habitats. Houses with verdant lawns were built adjacent to impermeable patios, sidewalks, driveways and roads. Underground pipes and concrete lined channels rapidly carried away unwanted rainwater. The resulting urban drainage flooded streets and polluted nearby water bodies with its untreated burden of silt, excessive fertilizer, pesticides, animal droppings, and oil.
These downsides of the usual “high impact development” gave impetus to more naturalistic method of site development: To design the site to drain like it did pre-development. The developed site would absorb and filter water and release high quality drainage water at a moderate, “natural” rate.
A number of measures may be used to implement this goal: Preserve significant wetlands and habitats while clustering homes on less sensitive areas. Preserve and plant trees and shrubs while limiting lawn areas. Use compost, mulch, timed-release fertilizers, and eco-friendly pest controls. Maintain and create areas for groundwater absorption including open natural areas and porous paving. Slow drainage by temporarily retaining water in cisterns or in landscaped depressions such as rain gardens and bio-swales.
These measures make life better for fish, wildlife, and civil engineers tasked with avoiding urban flooding and maintaining water quality. The advantages to homeowners include a healthier and more beautiful environment, lower maintenance, and avoided storm-water impact fees.
Like DwellGreen on Facebook
