The first two talks in this series were to ground the work that follows today. This presentation builds on the concept of regenerative design within the framework of a changing climate. In terms of stormwater management this means water harvesting for reuses to be determined by the project, scope, and area. We will discuss options and mandates for sediment sequestration, amelioration of pollution in runoff, and various recharge, reuse, and adaptations for those destinations for the captured and improved water resource.
We will illustrate the mechanical and organic opportunities for accomplishing the improvement and reuse of water from storms. Phytoremediation is a topic that will range from general planting options to the creation of floating islands. Projects will be used to illustrate the mechanisms that work in my practice. The management of sediment loading is also done with plants and various manipulations of discontinuous surfaces within the treatment train of Best Management Practices.
The sequential management schemes of water harvesting are central to the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the systems you will design in this train of design thinking. We will cover some options for simple, yet effective uses of appropriate technology to achieve a better quality of runoff at the toe of your particular watershed. The scale and range of opportunities varies widely, and some time will be given to a series of systematic approaches to this strategy for a more sustainable water management system.
Reviewing the concepts of retention and detention with an eye to maintenance and only as part of the system. The idea of holding water in the lower one third of any watershed is likely to fail, and have catastrophic results. This was proven in the early 1960’s in the eastern United States. We seem to have forgotten that lesson, and this will be discussed in the topic. We must also consider, when was the last time you saw a retention or detention basin being excavated/cleaned of debris? Management is critical to the efficiency of any retention or detention device. |
