Low Impact Development

Pervious pavement can be used for walkways, parking areas, driveways, and patios. The pervious pavement reduces the amount of storm runoff by allowing rain to infiltrate through the surface and into the ground. Examples are pervious concrete, pervious asphalt, permeable pavers, and grass pavers.

Green roofs can be used on residential or commercial development. The thin layer of soil and installation of plants can reduce the amount of storm runoff by absorbing the rain.

Disconnecting downspouts reduces the amount of storm runoff into the public surface water system. Runoff can be routed to a grass or gravel area and infiltrated. This replenishes groundwater and helps reduce the increase flow to small creeks during rain events. Be careful not to route runoff directly onto a neighbor’s property, or in a place that could cause drainage problems.

Rain barrels and cisterns capture roof runoff to be used later for irrigation. This reduces the increase in summer water usage.

Rain gardens and bioretention areas can be used to collect runoff from hard surfaces. Pollutants are removed by the plants and a large portion of the runoff is infiltrated.

Amending soils with compost will increase infiltration and absorption. Nutrients in the composted soils work to break down and remove pollutants from the runoff.