| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.84 |
| Liaison | Noah Upchurch |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Catawba College
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Noah
Upchurch Senior Sustainability Specialist Center for the Environment |
Which of the following best describes the institution’s approach to rainwater management?:
A brief description of the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices:
The College has green infrastructure projects located across campus. In Abernathy Village and beside the Cannon Student Center, the College has stone sluices that reduce the speed of rainwater flows while directing it to catchment areas. The Center for the Environment Building has a rainwater recapture system and river-rock bed design that filters water into a 5,000-gallon cistern. The cistern collects water from the front and back of the building. This recaptured water is used to fill ponds and irrigate the plants in the Elizabeth Stanback Wildlife Garden.
A copy of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines:
A brief description of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines that supports the responses above:
The College is committed to the responsible management of rainwater.
The College's MEP contains guidelines to protect the watershed, reduce impervious surface area, encourage consideration of rain gardens and rainwater recapture systems in new developments, and require filtration and minimization of watershed impacts from construction and renovation projects.
From our existing MEP:
ADDENDUM TO CATAWBA COLLEGE MEP STANDARDS (JUNE 8, 2023)
RAINWATER MANAGEMENT
PART 1 – LOW-IMPACT DEVELOPMENT (LID): EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS
1.1 TIMELINE
A. Catawba College requires routine, scheduled meetings with project management staff and relevant campus stakeholders throughout the lifespan of all new construction and major renovation projects to ensure compliance with erosion and sedimentation control standards.
B. Site-specific erosion and sedimentation control plans are required well in advance of any construction or major renovation project to ensure low-impact development (LID).
1.2 REQUIREMENTS
A. All construction and major renovation projects are required to comply with local, state, and federal regulations.
B. Erosion and sedimentation control efforts for all construction and major renovation projects must include but not be limited to:
1. Proactive scheduling of construction activities, to limit the amount of time that soil is exposed.
2. Limiting disturbed area by grading only what is necessary at any one time.
3. A sufficient buffer zone between disturbed land and any natural body of water.
4. Diversion of runoff away from any exposed slopes and protected areas around the College.
5. Establishment, stabilization, and maintenance of construction roads and routes, parking areas, and entrances and exits. Using established routes will limit further erosion due to soil compaction.
6. Protecting disturbed areas with temporary vegetation and/or mulch whenever construction or renovation is interrupted for an extended period.
7. Keeping runoff velocities low by installing stable diversions and outlets.
8. Capturing sediment near the source with sediment traps, basins, and barriers such as silt fencing, straw bale barriers, and other appropriate control methods.
9. Ensuring that traps and barriers are inspected, maintained, and cleaned regularly.
PART 2 – GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT
2.1 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
A. The College requires the consideration of Green Infrastructure and Development strategies that utilize rainwater as a resource where feasible. All on-campus projects shall be evaluated and, if appropriate, include green infrastructure. Examples of green infrastructure include:
1. Bioretention areas to capture runoff.
2. Cisterns for rainwater recapture and reuse in either buildings or as irrigation
3. Shrinking lawn area with native plantings.
4. Minimizing total impervious surface area on site.
5. Replacing traditional pipes and similar runoff routes with vegetated swales to slow runoff rate and filter sediment.
6. Disconnecting downspouts from storm sewer system and directing them to lawns, gravel, or vegetated swales.
7. Installing underground detention chambers underneath parking lots to temporarily store stormwater runoff instead of immediately releasing it to water bodies.
8. Harvesting roof runoff in rain barrels and stormwater runoff in irrigation ponds to be used for grounds maintenance, washing vehicles, etc., instead of immediately releasing runoff into bodies of water.
9. Use of green roofing and similar design elements.
10. Regularly inspecting, cleaning, and otherwise maintaining existing stormwater management infrastructure (sewers, etc.).
These guidelines are a result of the work that has been completed by the College to protect the hydrology of the Fred Stanback Jr. Ecological Preserve so that it benefits the entire area where our campus is located.
Website URL where information about the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.