5.13

• Environmental consequences to urban runoff:

  • decreased infiltration (groundwater recharge)
  • rain washes pollutants into storm drains and into local surface waters
• Permeable pavement: specially designed to allow storm water to infiltrate and recharge ground water

  • decreases runoff, decreasing pollutants carried into storm drains and into local surface water
  • decreases likelihood of flooding during heavy rainfall
  • more expensive compared to traditional pavement
• Rain garden: gardens planted in urban areas especially around a storm drain

  • decreases runoff
  • creates habitat for pollinators, sense of place, and stores CO2
• Public transit:

  • more cars on the road = more pollutants to run off into storm drains
• Building up not out: building vertically decreases impermeable surfaces, decreasing urban runoff

  • can be combined with green roof/rooftop gardens to further decrease runoff
  • plants absorb NO2, particulate matter, and other pollutants into stomata and store in tissue/soil