Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure

Green Infrastructure is associated with a variety of environmental, economic, and human health benefits, many of which go hand-in-hand with one another. The benefits of green infrastructure are particularly accentuated in urban and suburban areas where green space is limited and environmental damage is more extensive. Green infrastructure benefits include:

Reduced and Delayed Stormwater Runoff Volumes - Green infrastructure reduces stormwater runoff volumes and reduces peak flows by utilizing the natural retention and absorption capabilities of vegetation and soils. By increasing the amount of pervious ground cover, green infrastructure techniques increase stormwater infiltration rates, thereby reducing the volume of runoff entering our combined or separate sewer systems, and ultimately our lakes, rivers, and streams.

Enhanced Groundwater Recharge - The natural infiltration capabilities of green infrastructure technologies can improve the rate at which groundwater aquifers are 'recharged' or replenished. This is significant because groundwater provides about 40% of the water needed to maintain normal base flow rates in our rivers and streams. Enhanced groundwater recharge can also boost the supply of drinking water for private and public uses.

Stormwater Pollutant Reductions - Green Infrastructure techniques infiltrate runoff close to its source and help prevent pollutants from being transported to nearby surface waters. Once runoff is infiltrated into soils, plants and microbes can naturally filter and break down many common pollutants found in stormwater.

Reduced Sewer Overflow Events - Utilizing the natural retention and infiltration capabilities of plants and soils, green infrastructure limits the frequency of sewer overflow events by reducing runoff volumes and by delaying stormwater discharges.

Increased Carbon Sequestration - The plants and soils that are part of the green infrastructure approach serve as sources of carbon sequestration, where carbon dioxide is captured and removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis and other natural processes.

Urban Heat Island Mitigation and Reduced Energy Demands - Urban heat islands form as cities replace natural land cover with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. The displacement of trees and vegetation minimizes their natural cooling effects. Additionally, tall buildings and narrow streets trap and concentrate waste heat from vehicles, factories, and air conditioners. By providing increased amounts of urban green space and vegetation, green infrastructure can help mitigate the effects of urban heat islands and reduce energy demands. Trees, green roofs and other green infrastructure can also lower the demand for air conditioning energy, thereby decreasing emissions from power plants.

Improved Air Quality - Green infrastructure facilitates the incorporation of trees and vegetation in urban landscapes, which can contribute to improved air quality. Trees and vegetation absorb certain pollutants from the air through leaf uptake and contact removal. If widely planted throughout a community, trees and plants can even cool the air and slow the temperature-dependent reaction that forms ground-level ozone pollution (smog).

Additional Wildlife Habitat and Recreational Space - Greenways, parks, urban forests, wetlands, and vegetated swales are all forms of green infrastructure that provide increased access to recreational space and wildlife habitat.