We have curated several informative and entertaining news stories from the stormwater industry, as well as a few other items of interest. We appreciate you taking the time to read our ezine and hope that you find this stormwater related information as interesting and informative as we do.
Until next month, please work safe and stay well.
Sincerely,
The Greenrise Technologies Staff
Study Shows Green Infrastructure Underutilized as a Socioeconomic Tool
WEF
Mounting evidence that green infrastructure can be used to not only manage stormwater, but improve the health, value, and attractiveness of its surroundings, is convincing more and more U.S. cities to recommend green infrastructure as a preferred alternative to conventional pumps and pipes. The next question that must be answered, argues a recent study that appeared in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning, is how cities can best position green infrastructure as a force for environmental equity. In other words, how can cities maximize the potential for green infrastructure to address longstanding disparities among different neighborhoods related to such quality-of-life factors as exposure to environmental risks and access to green spaces.
A Study on New York Reveals Less Than 0.1% of Rooftops are “Green” – What Every City Should Learn
WEF
“If we are going to meet our goals for climate adaptation, sustainability, and equity, we have to invest more in our green roofs alongside other green spaces,” said co-author Timon McPhearson, professor of urban ecology at The New School, in a release. “The unmet opportunity to transform the flat roof space in New York City is vast. Mobilizing city resources to expand green roofs, especially in underserved neighborhoods, could go a long way towards cooling the city, improving stormwater resiliency, and providing new recreation spaces.”
Can EPA’s Clean Water Act Rule Survive the Courts?
E&E News
The new Biden “water of the U.S.,” or WOTUS definition attempts to answer Gorsuch’s jurisdiction question as the justices weigh their decision in the case. It largely resurrects a definition of WOTUS coined during the era of President Ronald Reagan, updated to accommodate limits the court placed on federal jurisdiction during the intervening 36 years. It says wetlands would be considered adjacent, and therefore protected, to downstream waters if they are connected to those larger waterways with “relatively permanent” surface water connections, or if they have a “significant” hydrologic or ecological “nexus” to those protected tributaries.
In a Drought, California Is Watching Water Wash Out to Sea
NY Times
L.A. County plans a huge investment in water capture. A lack of water-capture infrastructure makes it difficult for many parts of California to make the most of rainfall, but Los Angeles County hopes to change that with a $300 million-per-year initiative that involves adding hundreds of small water-capture sites. The projects could eventually hold as much water as major dams in the state.
A Biofilters Solutions in San Marcos, TX
The CM Allen Parkway project has five biofiltration areas created to capture pollutants from stormwater runoff, effectively protecting the San Marcos River and surrounding natural areas. The local habitat is home to several endangered species that are susceptible to environmental toxins, and the low-impact design elements reflect the communities’ desire to protect the San Marcos River through any means possible. The biofiltration system, with a total surface area of 1,190 square feet, is estimated to remove an annual 10,840 lbs. of suspended solids per year. The US EPA Region 6 awarded the City of San Marcos’s CM Allen Parkway Project second place in its Outstanding Green Infrastructure/Low Impact Development Project Competition.
MYTH: Stormwater is clean.
BUSTED: As it flows over the land, stormwater runoff collects and transports sediment, pet waste, pesticides, fertilizer, automobile fluids, deicing products, grass clippings, leaves and other yard waste, cigarette butts, and other litter. All of which create nutrients in the water that are harmful to the environment and water life.
MYTH: Stormwater drains lead to treatment plants.
BUSTED: Storm drains and storm sewers directly convey runoff from your neighborhood into local waterways: creeks, rivers, lakes, sounds, and the ocean. Unlike wastewater, stormwater is not treated before it goes into our waterways.
MYTH: The pollutants in stormwater are not really harmful.
BUSTED: Little drips can add up to a big environmental problem. The volume of waste oil from one oil change is enough to form a film over a 4-acre surface water supply. Stormwater is one of the largest sources of water quality damage.
MYTH: Stormwater flows only to local streams.
BUSTED: Stormwater makes its way to all water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, bays, and even to the ocean.
MYTH: Stormwater is mainly an urban problem.
BUSTED: Stormwater runs off agricultural fields and pastures, carrying herbicides, fertilizers, nutrients, and sediment. Stormwater also runs off paved urban communities and even the backyards in our neighborhoods.
MYTH: Industries are the greatest source of water pollution.
BUSTED: Construction, urban and agricultural stormwater runoff rivals discharges from factories and sewage treatment plants as a source of pollution throughout the United States.
MYTH: Roads are responsible for most of the state’s stormwater runoff.
BUSTED: Roads typically make up about 3-5% of the total land use in urban areas and often less than 1% of a whole state.
MYTH: The state should take care of all stormwater pollution.
BUSTED: The state manages only a limited portion of the land. All of us—individuals, farmers, and industrial and commercial operations—must also do our part.
MYTH: Stormwater pollution will eventually go away.
BUSTED: The problem will continue to grow, unless each one of us does our part. By practicing simple techniques, such as keeping your car tuned, recycling motor oil, checking for leaks, composting yard clippings, and cleaning up after pets, you can play a part in preventing pollution.
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