Sustainable Landscaping
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Storm Water
Storm water control is a big concern in areas where storm events can lead to major problems. For example, in San Francisco, when a major storm water event occurs, excess run off from storms results in urban waste water being released into the San Francisco Bay. Cities from North Carolina to Louisiana, to Wisconsin, to California, experience difficulties related to excess water during a storm event.
Sediment is carried into streams, rivers, and lakes along with run-off. It settles in the bottoms of lakes and accumulates there, leading to undesired in-filling. Toxic compounds from pesticides can adhere to sediment particles, which then sink to the bottom of streams. Bottom-feeders, such as mussels, consume the toxic chemicals, and then the chemicals move up the aquatic food chain, with eventual human consumption.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are the two fertilizer ingredients that pose the greatest threat to the health of humans as well as wildlife. High levels of nitrogen in drinking water can lead to "blue baby" syndrome, while excess phosphorus causes eutrophication in lakes and ocean deltas.
Some of the sustainable landscaping solutions currently in use in various areas around the country include green roofs, rain gardens, bio-swales, and replacing impermeable paving with permeable paving materials. All of these practices interecpt the rain water, slow its flow into streams and rivers, and allow it to infiltrate into the groundwater instead. In the practices that include plants, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and bio-swales, excess nutrients are removed by the plants. These may also remove pesticide contaminants from urban sources, or allow them time to degrade prior to entering surface waters.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Brelot, E., B. Chocal, and M. Desbordes. 2002. Innovative technologies in urban drainage (NOVATECH 2001):selected proceedings of NOVATECH 2001 the 4th International Conference on Innovative Technologies in Urban Drainage held in Vileurbanne, France, 25-27 June 2001. WaterSci. and Tech. vol. 45 no.7.
Dunnett, N. and A. Clayden. 2007. Rain gardens: managing water sustainably in the garden and designed landscape. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, OR. 188 pp.
Getter, K. and B. Rowe. 2006. The role of extensive green roofs in sustainable development. HortSci. 41(5):1276-1285.
Glaser, A. 2006. Turning the tide on pesticide contamination. Pesticides and You. Vol. 25, No. 4. 9pp. [a downloadable copy is available at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/documents/water.pdf]
Henderson, C., M. Greenway, and I. Phillips. 2007. Removal of dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon from stormwater, by biofiltration mecocosms. Water Sci. and Tech. 55(4):183-191.
Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. Permeable interlocking concrete pavement: a comparison guide to porous asphalt and pervious concrete. http://www.icpi.org/myproject/PICP%20Comparison%20Brochure.pdf. Viewed June 2008.
Kerkhoff, K.L. 2006. How to capitalize and reduce stormwater runoff in your landscapes. Grounds Maint. P. 70.
Krizner, K. 2008. Smart water solutions. Landscape management. May/June. p. 31-2.
Lopes, T.J. and S.G. Dionne. 1998. A review of semivolatile and volatile organic compounds in highway runoff and urban stormwater. US Geological Survey report 98-104. 67pp.
Melby, P. and T. Cathcart. 2002. Regenerative design techniques: practical applications in landscape design. Wiley. NY. 410 pp.
Montrusso, M.A., D.B. Rowe, D.K. Russell, and C.L. Rugh. 2004. Runoff water quantity and quality from green roof systems. Acta Hort. 639:369-376.
Ogle, D.G., and J.C. Hoag. 2000. Storm water plant materials a resource guide: detailed information on appropriate plant materials for the best practices. USDA Nat. Res. Cons. Service. Boise, ID.
Presto Products Co. 2004. Geoblock(R) system general design and construction package. Presto Products Company. 16pp.
Rowe, B., J. Andersen, J. Lloyd, T. Mrozowski, and K. Getter. The green roof research at Michigan State University. http://hrt.msu.edu/greenroof/ Viewed July 2007.
Rowe, B., M.A. Monterusso, and C. L. Rugh. Assessment of heat-expanded slate and fertility requirements in green roof substrates. HortTech. 16 no. 3. p471-477.
Sprague, L.A., D.A. Harned, D.W. Hall, L.H. Nowell, N.J. Bauch, and K.D. Richards. 2007. Response of stream chemistry during base flow to gradients of urbanization in selected locations across the coterminous United States, 2002-2004: US Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5083, 132 p. [downloadable copy available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2007/5083/]
Taylor, G.D., T.D. Fletcher, T.H.F. Wong, P.F.Breen, and H.P. Duncan. 2005. Nitrogen composition in urban runoff - implications for stormwater management. Water Research 39:1982-1989.
Torno, H.S., J. Marsalek, and M. Desbordes. 1985. Urban runoff pollution. Springer-Verlag. NY. 893pp.
US Geological Survey. Pesticides in the nation's streams and groundwater, 1992-2001-a summary. 2006. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3028. Viewed Aug. 2008.
US Geological Survey. 1999. The quality of our nation's waters: nutrients and pesticides. USGS circular, 1225. 82p.
Sediment is carried into streams, rivers, and lakes along with run-off. It settles in the bottoms of lakes and accumulates there, leading to undesired in-filling. Toxic compounds from pesticides can adhere to sediment particles, which then sink to the bottom of streams. Bottom-feeders, such as mussels, consume the toxic chemicals, and then the chemicals move up the aquatic food chain, with eventual human consumption.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are the two fertilizer ingredients that pose the greatest threat to the health of humans as well as wildlife. High levels of nitrogen in drinking water can lead to "blue baby" syndrome, while excess phosphorus causes eutrophication in lakes and ocean deltas.
Some of the sustainable landscaping solutions currently in use in various areas around the country include green roofs, rain gardens, bio-swales, and replacing impermeable paving with permeable paving materials. All of these practices interecpt the rain water, slow its flow into streams and rivers, and allow it to infiltrate into the groundwater instead. In the practices that include plants, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and bio-swales, excess nutrients are removed by the plants. These may also remove pesticide contaminants from urban sources, or allow them time to degrade prior to entering surface waters.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Brelot, E., B. Chocal, and M. Desbordes. 2002. Innovative technologies in urban drainage (NOVATECH 2001):selected proceedings of NOVATECH 2001 the 4th International Conference on Innovative Technologies in Urban Drainage held in Vileurbanne, France, 25-27 June 2001. WaterSci. and Tech. vol. 45 no.7.
Dunnett, N. and A. Clayden. 2007. Rain gardens: managing water sustainably in the garden and designed landscape. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, OR. 188 pp.
Getter, K. and B. Rowe. 2006. The role of extensive green roofs in sustainable development. HortSci. 41(5):1276-1285.
Glaser, A. 2006. Turning the tide on pesticide contamination. Pesticides and You. Vol. 25, No. 4. 9pp. [a downloadable copy is available at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/documents/water.pdf]
Henderson, C., M. Greenway, and I. Phillips. 2007. Removal of dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon from stormwater, by biofiltration mecocosms. Water Sci. and Tech. 55(4):183-191.
Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. Permeable interlocking concrete pavement: a comparison guide to porous asphalt and pervious concrete. http://www.icpi.org/myproject/PICP%20Comparison%20Brochure.pdf. Viewed June 2008.
Kerkhoff, K.L. 2006. How to capitalize and reduce stormwater runoff in your landscapes. Grounds Maint. P. 70.
Krizner, K. 2008. Smart water solutions. Landscape management. May/June. p. 31-2.
Lopes, T.J. and S.G. Dionne. 1998. A review of semivolatile and volatile organic compounds in highway runoff and urban stormwater. US Geological Survey report 98-104. 67pp.
Melby, P. and T. Cathcart. 2002. Regenerative design techniques: practical applications in landscape design. Wiley. NY. 410 pp.
Montrusso, M.A., D.B. Rowe, D.K. Russell, and C.L. Rugh. 2004. Runoff water quantity and quality from green roof systems. Acta Hort. 639:369-376.
Ogle, D.G., and J.C. Hoag. 2000. Storm water plant materials a resource guide: detailed information on appropriate plant materials for the best practices. USDA Nat. Res. Cons. Service. Boise, ID.
Presto Products Co. 2004. Geoblock(R) system general design and construction package. Presto Products Company. 16pp.
Rowe, B., J. Andersen, J. Lloyd, T. Mrozowski, and K. Getter. The green roof research at Michigan State University. http://hrt.msu.edu/greenroof/ Viewed July 2007.
Rowe, B., M.A. Monterusso, and C. L. Rugh. Assessment of heat-expanded slate and fertility requirements in green roof substrates. HortTech. 16 no. 3. p471-477.
Sprague, L.A., D.A. Harned, D.W. Hall, L.H. Nowell, N.J. Bauch, and K.D. Richards. 2007. Response of stream chemistry during base flow to gradients of urbanization in selected locations across the coterminous United States, 2002-2004: US Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5083, 132 p. [downloadable copy available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2007/5083/]
Taylor, G.D., T.D. Fletcher, T.H.F. Wong, P.F.Breen, and H.P. Duncan. 2005. Nitrogen composition in urban runoff - implications for stormwater management. Water Research 39:1982-1989.
Torno, H.S., J. Marsalek, and M. Desbordes. 1985. Urban runoff pollution. Springer-Verlag. NY. 893pp.
US Geological Survey. Pesticides in the nation's streams and groundwater, 1992-2001-a summary. 2006. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3028. Viewed Aug. 2008.
US Geological Survey. 1999. The quality of our nation's waters: nutrients and pesticides. USGS circular, 1225. 82p.
