The stormwater industry is looking to Low Impact Development practices to solve the challenge of managing millions of gallons of water runoff in cities. Storage is a step toward meeting a fundamental goal of LID – runoff reduction.

One of the most popular solutions being adopted by environmental planners is storing the first inch of rainwater from developed sites such as parking lots, driveways, roads or other impervious surfaces. Engineers are eyeing potential problems and using creative solutions to make water storage work even better.

Some cities are adding regulations or incentives for LID water storage, but they may lack any requirement for pre-treatment of the water. This means that storage equipment will eventually fill up with dirt, trash and oil. Maintenance is too often ignored, leading to the release of dirty water.

That doesn’t mean stormwater retention is a bad idea. It’s a great solution! It just needs a little extra engineering help along the way. Ensuring that trash, sediment and oil are removed is a great start.

Treating stormwater with an Aqua-Swirl along with storage is even better. That means good clean water is stored and released back into the streams and lakes that need it. When a mere 0.3% of the Earth’s freshwater is found in rivers and lakes, we can’t afford not to provide water quality treatment wherever possible.

Engineers are also pairing storage with surface infiltration such as permeable pavers. 

What else has worked for you? Post your suggestions below.

One of the leading topics in stormwater management today is the drive for sustainability, green infrastructure designs and Low Impact Development (LID) practices.

Mark Miller, research scientist for AquaShield, Inc., presented trends in LID and changing stormwater regulations in Chattanooga at the Engineers Club. Mark offered an overview of the topics and discussed the movement toward water catchment versus end of pipe solutions.

Key takeaways included:

• Storage is important, but pretreatment is the first key to the success of a storage based LID plan
• When picking an LID plan, consider the benefits of each. Pick the best possible solution for the problem at hand based on your goals. 
• Maintenance is essential and must be considered on the front end. Poor upkeep can subtract from the benefits of a progressive LID plan.

• Biofiltration helps groundwater recharge and reduces the heat island effect.
  

There is no single solution for stormwater management. This makes multiple technologies needed to solve problems. Solutions can include, media filtration, surface and subsurface infiltration, treatment and storage, rain harvesting, drivable grass and many more.