Reducing Storm Water Runoff on Your Homesite

6090 Wedgewood Road

Medina, OH 44256

330-722-2628 (phone)

330-725-5829 (fax)

Local leadership for soil and water conservation.

The Goal

To demonstrate practices homeowners can implement to reduce the volume of storm water flowing off their property.

Natural Areas

•Many air and water pockets •Numerous micro and macro organisms •Deep plant root growth •High surface water infiltration and detention •Low surface water runoff and erosion

Developed Areas

• Few air and water pockets • Limited micro and macro organisms • Shallow root growth • Low surface water detention and infiltration • High surface water runoff and erosion

Runoff Generated by 1” Rainfall over 1-acre Parcel

135

27154

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Forest Parking Lot

Gallons

Impacts of Increased Runoff Volumes

$ $ $ $ $

$ $ $ $ $

A combination ofpractices that…

Increase infiltrationBetter manage runoff & promote

“run-on”Decrease impervious surfaces

Increase Infiltration

Reduce soil compactionLandscaping alternativesTurf management

Soil Compaction

Porosity of Urban Lawns = 30%The avg. porosity of a compacted building pad = 30%

Reverse Soil Compactionon Existing Homes:

A study completed in Seattle, WA showed the addition of compost amendments to urban soils reduced runoff from 29-50% over soils with no amendments added.

Add Compost

Reverse Soil Compaction on Existing Homes: Aerate Your Lawn

Reverse Soil Compactionon Existing Homes: Plant Trees

Permeability Rates

0.14 0.03

15

02468

10121416

Lawn #1 Lawn #2 NaturalWoods

Inches/hour

Study completed in Ocean County, NJ – March ’01

Tree Canopy Cover Study:Garland, TX – 3.86 acre site

Effects of Canopy Cover on Runoff Reduction

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

% Canopy Cover

% R

un

oo

f R

ed

uct

ion

Minimize Soil Compaction on New Homes:

TreeProtection

Area

Avoid Compaction

Minimize Soil Compaction on New Homes: Break-up Compaction

Increase Infiltration: Landscape Alternatives

Increase Infiltration:Turf - Let it Grow Tall

Plant Height

Root Depth

Better Manage Runoff & Promote “Run-on”

Disconnect gutter downspoutsCollect storm waterMaintain open swales and ditchesSlope impervious areas

Typical Gutter Downspout

Disconnected downspouts direct roof runoffaway from the foundation and into the lawn.

Be sure to check with your localjurisdiction for rules pertaining this.

Roof runoff is piped fromdownspout to a dry well.

Be sure to check with yourlocal jurisdiction forrules pertaining this.

Rain Collection Barrel – use for watering gardens

Road-side ditches absorb more water than culverts

Open Ditch Enclosed Ditch

Grassed swales absorb more water than culverts

Grassed SwaleCulverted Swale

Typical Sloping Driveway

Drains directly to the road

“Crowned” Driveway

Drains directly to the lawn

Decrease Impervious Areas: Pervious Alternatives

Decrease Impervious Areas:Building Up vs. Out

Type of House

Living Space

Roof Area

Runoff from 1” Rainfall

Ranch (1-story)

2000 ft2 2000 ft2 1250 gallons

Colonial (2-story)

3000 ft2 1500 ft2 938 gallons

Top 5 Practices to Implementon an Existing Home

Let grass grow taller Maintain all open drainageways (ditches &

swales) Disconnect downspouts and/or use a rain

barrel or cistern Aerate your lawn Plant trees & shrubs

Top 5 Practices to Implementon a New Home

Prevent soil compaction during construction Add organic amendments to your soil Plant trees & shrubs Disconnect downspouts and/or use a rain

barrel or cistern Promote “run-on”