| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.45 |
| Liaison | Benjamin Newton |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2023 |
Central Community College
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 2.00 |
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:
Native landscaping and grasslands- Native plants use an estimated total water use of 422 acre feet/year while turfgrass requires 1407 acre feet/year – a 60% reduction in water use
• Native plants have deeper root systems that substantially increase the ability of soil to absorb and retain water. As natural vegetation is replaced with popular turf grasses, less storm water is absorbed into the ground, leading to more storm water runoff and water pollution in lakes and streams.
• A typical lawn absorbs only 10% of the amount of storm water that a natural landscape can absorb. Native plant gardens will also bring more native songbirds and butterflies.
• Native insects and wildlife cannot survive on non-native plant species, therefore their populations will decrease. Turfgrass landscapes do not provide food or shelter.
• A diversity of plants in their habitats also contributes to the diversity of animals in that area. Plant diversity creates niches to which animals adapt over evolutionary time.
Native or regionally adapted “no-irrigation” zones “no-mow” turf grass and zones.
The CCC-Kearney Center has five bioretention gardens that help capture and treat storm water runoff before being released into on-site detention basins. The sediment traps help to collect silt/sediment at inflow pipes into basins. Although there are no current municipal requirements for water quality treatment, the bioretention gardens were sized to provide the water quality volume for 80% of building site.
Local food production for hospitality management program and greenhouse in Columbus
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 Grand Island Campus sustainable landscape master plan was completed from 2013-2015. Implementing the master plan will improve the health of land, water, and everyone on campus. The plan recommends improving soil characteristics, protecting soils during construction, and changing plant species and maintenance practices to improve land health. These actions will improve the ability of soils to absorb and release moisture and support increased micronutrient uptake in plants.
Better matching vegetation to local soil types, regional conditions, and on-going climate change will result in less time and money spent irrigating and frequently mowing large areas of the campus.
Primary beneficiaries of improved land and water health on campus are its staff and students. They will benefit from the reduced use of chemicals and air pollution associated with landscape maintenance. A visually, more diverse campus landscape, served by an interconnected system of walking trails, will encourage people to spend more time outdoors – experiencing the benefits of active lifestyles while being exposed to reduced levels of herbicides and pesticides.
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.