Importance of Capturing the First Flush of Stormwater - Florida's Stormwater

Here is a picture of the stormwater ditch running alongside Dean Road in Jacksonville, Florida last week after a short rainfall event - probably less than one half inch total.  Notice the obvious oil and grease sheen across the surface of the water.  The distance from the particular spot the photo was taken to the St. Johns River tributaries is very short - less than a mile.

Capturing the first flush of stormwater running off any road or street is crucial.  Modular Wetlands and streetside landscaping are excellent ways to employ plants in preventing pollution.

Most of us don't realize how much the first flush carries into our stormsystems.  Intercepting the pollution at the source is important.

The 0h Decade...and Stormwater

An Interesting Perspective and Commentary on Stormwater and the New Year (Decade)..

Below is an excerpt from the Sacremento Bee..

We must develop new, innovative sources of water supply, including massive groundwater recharge, the complete reuse of treated wastewater, local rainwater harvesting and environmentally and economically sound desalination of both seawater and brackish water. We must price water properly to encourage efficient use and appropriate allocation. And we must reform and enforce water rights allocations.

To read the entire article click the LINK...

Kevin

Slow it, Spread it, Sink it (it = stormwater), LID and Green Streets - Click Here

Slow, it, Spread it, Sink it. Stormwater needs to go back into the ground, as most did before development occurred.

Click on the Title here for an attached newsletter from San Mateo, an example of a municipality utilizing green design practice to keep pollutants and nutrients out of the adjoining estuary.

Slow it, Spread it, Sink it.

San Mateo has a great LID Design Manual full of ideas and design drawings. Due to the manual's size, I've divided up the chapters and in some instances the pages and included all into a folder. Click on the link and open each chapter as needed.

Excellent design examples can be found throughout the entire manual. Let me know if you find the information useful - you can email me - ksonger@acfenvironmental.com

Functioning and Beautiful Wetland Created in an Upland - UF's Teaching Wetland by Dr. Mark Clark

If you haven't had the opportunity to visit the teaching wetland/stormwater pond at UF then be sure to walk the boardwalk through the system next time you are on the UF campus.

The SEEP Wetland is a creation of Dr. Mark Clark's and is truly a work of science and art. Many of you have heard my comments on just how hard it is to create a wetland in an upland area without existing hydrology. Florida's rainfall totals may hit the 50"+ mark every year. However the storms creating 50" of rainfall usually occur with unpredictable timing - sometimes we have several months of intense drought. Without native groundwater, surfacewater or other water supply, created wetlands tend to "dry up" and die...But not at the UF SEEP!

Mark designed the system with three major components, including a shallow forebay catching every little bit of precipitation. And the design is working, growing, cleaning stormwater, providing habitat for wildlife and a sense of place for people.

Perfect for bring back volumetric green to the Urban Core.

Stormwater Brings Beauty - Cypress & Stormwater Treatment

The above Stormwater Pond was constructed and planted in 1996 and is celebrating 13 years of existence. The cypress were about three years old when planted so they are approximately 16 years old now. Cypress was chosen due to a low leaf litter rate (it is one of my favorite trees), its ability to withstand drought and floods, & because Florida's wildlife utilizes the tree for food and shelter.

When we looked at the site initially there were no wetlands or native water sources available - no surface water or groundwater to hydrate a constructed wetland. During design the team integrated a system that allows enough water to be conserved in the pond to allow for wetland plant establishment and provide an anaerobic environment capable of allowing denitrification.

The site here is downtown Tallahassee near the corner of Park Avenue and Magnolia Drive - the City of Tallahassee allowed the developer more site development density in exchange for a created wildlife habitat - the new paradigm in site development - combination of landscape and stormwater.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however I'd say this small cypress wetland provides wonderful landscape beauty along with habitat where habitat is needed and especially clean water! With the new Florida Unified Stormwater Rule coming up soon, maybe more and more of these created wetlands will be built, serving to remove pollutants and nutrients, clean stormwater, provide habitat and a sense of place in the Urban Core.