SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE AND APPROACH
Some answers are already out there. A fresh approach to stormwater can balance performance and cost, reduce downstream impacts, adapt to climate change, integrate natural systems and increase the overall stormwater benefit. But disrupting the methods that have been the norm for a generation isn’t easy. The transition starts with education — for stormwater designers, city officials and the public.
EDUCATION TACTICS FOR STORMWATER DESIGNERS
Paradigm shifts begin with questioning every element of each decision. Is this the best solution for the watershed, or the one we’ve always relied on for the project site? Does this solve the problem, or, is it a temporary fix? Does this move the risk downstream?
Change the perception of stormwater as a waste to stormwater as a natural resource. Historically, standards have focused on getting rid of excess water as quickly as possible. But when we consider if a project is beneficial to a river, lake or stream, a more holistic and lasting solution emerges.
Collaborate and brainstorm with regional colleagues across all technical disciplines that touch stormwater (planners, engineers, architects, landscape architects, etc.). A watershed pays no attention to city limits, so it will take a village, or several villages, coming together to effect real change. This collaboration must start with stormwater professionals before it can elevate to the civic sphere. And as stormwater professionals, we must observe stormwater through several lenses.
Become a proponent of emerging best practices as an integral piece of stormwater management, not an “add on” to check the box. Look for retention opportunities that integrate with the function of the project. Rain gardens, bioretention cells and pervious pavements mimic the natural hydrologic cycle, helping collect and control stormwater at or near the source. How can we make these solutions a focus of site development and reconstruction?
EDUCATION TACTICS FOR CITY OFFICIALS
City officials are constantly being asked to do more with less. So, why not look at infrastructure solutions that tackle multiple objectives and bring community benefits while meeting a need? When one community asset — a road, for example — requires rebuilding, considering how to also improve other infrastructure pieces associated with the effort can be a fiscally beneficial approach.
Prioritize what the system needs most of the time over what it needs during extreme weather events, flipping the cost-benefit ratio around by making a path for stormwater excess rather than controlling it. Planning for more typical events instead of one peak flow can be a more cost-effective and resilient solution, allowing the same resources to be used with greater efficiency.
Recognize bigger isn’t always better. Stormwater systems are typically sized to handle large flooding events, so designers opt for the supersize solution. But from a pure capacity standpoint, historical analysis shows that — most of the time — only about 20% of that pipe size is needed.
Think in terms of shaping development rather than limiting it. Encouraging development around water in flood-prone areas versus attempting to out-design mother nature minimizes potential property damage. This approach may bring some hard decisions, such as buying a building or not allowing development on a site, but the results strengthen the community as a whole and create a beneficial connection between developer and civic goals.
Bring developers along as partners. Their goal is your goal: more assurances about flood protection and a property that’s desirable to tenants. Incorporating sustainable infrastructure practices can even help build their business by attracting green-minded tenants. Adopting standards such as cluster development and narrower street widths can minimize the development footprint. In some areas of the country, utility fees are high enough to provide a developer motivation to seek out a more efficient stormwater control system for a reduced bill.
EDUCATION TACTICS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Take it back to basics. A general grasp of how water moves on and under the surface can build a stronger foundation when changes to the usual approach are proposed.
Generate conversation about the cost of infrastructure — roads, stormwater management, clean drinking water and more — to the public. People often assume there’s always budget to provide for these services, or they don’t think about it at all. But, in reality, many communities are struggling to keep up with infrastructure needs.
Use every communications tool at your disposal. A simple marble run can demonstrate the basics of stormwater design. A handful of marbles — representing excess water — can spark understanding when the marbles flow smoothly down circular sections, where they can spread out, but clog on straight sections. High-tech tools are effective too; a 2D computer model can provide an excellent understanding of how water flows.
Make new solutions relevant. Homeowners may show more patience for temporary flooding issues when they realize a broader solution will address their problem — and their neighbors’ problems — more permanently and cost-effectively.
Tap into the media, especially weather professionals. Intense rain events (and the causes behind them) always draw significant viewership. What if, during the next potential flood event, a news professional was equipped to talk about the city’s collection system and why it’s sometimes overwhelmed?