See Who's Soaking Up the Rain
We're soaking up the rain in all kinds of places: around our home landscapes and residential developments; at elementary schools and on college campuses; along city streets and in public spaces; and around commercial buildings and federal facilities.
As more communities and citizens soak up the rain, people are sharing pictures and stories of what they've done. Some examples are listed below.
Connecticut
Low Impact Development Atlas, University of Connecticut
The State of Low Impact Development in Connecticut Story Map
University of Connecticut Green Infrastructure
A virtual tour of some of the green infrastructure practices being utilized on the University of Connecticut's campus in Storrs, CT.
Jordan Cove Urban Watershed Project (pdf) (8 MB)
This Connecticut project measured the effectiveness of several practices including rain gardens and permeable pavement in reducing runoff in a residential setting.
Massachusetts
Porous Pavement Improves Provincetown Harbor Beaches, Nonpoint Source Success Story, U.S. EPA (pdf) (1 MB)
Read how the porous pavement installation has contributed to a noticeable reduction in the number of beach closures.
Ipswich River Watershed, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
A Project to implement and measure the effectiveness of several low impact development and water conservation demonstration projects. Includes rain gardens, permeable pavement, a green roof, and rain water harvesting with cisterns.
New Hampshire
Green Infrastructure for Sustainable New Hampshire Coastal Communities, Southeast Watershed Alliance (pdf) (4 MB)
Fact sheet describe the project, including the Complete Community Approach to managing stormwater and the various green infrastructure retrofits implemented in the participating communities.
Soak Stories and Project Locations, Soak up the Rain New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Green Infrastructure Projects in Rhode Island, Rhode Island Green Infrastructure Coalition
Vermont
Building Green Infrastructure in Vermont Communities, Vermont Planning Information Center
Green Infrastructure Bike Tour, Burlington, VT (pdf) (6 MB)
Beyond New England
Low Impact Development Atlas, University of Connecticut
Chesapeake RiverWise Communities, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, 2016 (pdf) (4 MB)
Save the Rain, Onondaga County, New York
Green City, Clean Waters, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Check out their:
Extensive collection of videos
Map of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Projects
Save it, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Watch this video about their efforts.
Rain Ready, Center for Neighborhood Technology
Find a suite of policies and practices to help residents, communities, and states plan for weather events associated with global climate change and approach the challenges of flooding, water shortage, and/or water pollution in customized and cost-effective ways.
Stormwater Case Studies, American Society of Landscape Architects
Features
City Parks, Clean Water: Making Great Places Using Green Infrastructure, The Trust for Public Land, March 2016 (pdf) (4 MB)
Study report on the successes and challenges of water-smart parks, looking both at the technologies and political issues involved in using green infrastructure to make cities more desirable, livable and successful.
Nonpoint Source Success Stories, U.S. EPA
Describes projects that received funding from Clean Water Act (CWA) section 319 and/or other funding sources dedicated to solving nonpoint source (NPS) impairments. Stories also describe innovative strategies used to reduce NPS pollution, the growth of partnerships, and a diversity of funding sources.
National Nonpoint Source Program - a catalyst for water quality improvements, U.S. EPA (pdf) (15 MB)
A report on highlights of the Section 319 Program