| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.69 |
| Liaison | Tina Evans |
| Submission Date | Aug. 20, 2024 |
Colorado Mountain College
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 2.00 |
Tina
Evans Professor, Sustainability Studies Sustainability Studies |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Which of the following best describes the institution’s approach to rainwater management?:
No written policies, plans or guidelines, but green infrastructure and LID practices are used
A brief description of the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices:
At the Steamboat Springs campus, the College has installed bioswales in the parking lot area below its major Academic Building. These swales promote water infiltration and water the parking lot area trees.
Additionally, the spillover from these bioswales, the meltwater from snow removal from the same parking lot, and the snow melt/rain runoff from the Academic Building itself are channeled into a detention settling pond where particulate matter settles out before water (that has to reach a certain level) is released through a top-over grate into the storm sewer that ends up in the Yampa River. This pond is located within the Bear Park Permaculture Center where the water it infiltrates serves to bolster the groundwater available to site trees and other plantings.
Also within Bear Park Permaculture Center, permaculture students and faculty have constructed a large hugelkultur berm near the base of a major hillside on the property. Hugelkultur makes use of scrap wood (such as tree trimmings) that is buried inside mounds where it breaks down to release nutrients and form an organic sponge for water. The hillside above the berm slopes downward from a parking lot at 45 degrees and catches a great deal of snow (the average in Steamboat Springs being 300+ inches per year). The meltwater (and rainwater in the summer) that moves downward from the hill intercepts the hugelkultur berm where it is slowed down and spread out, promoting infiltration. Many fruit trees are planted in the areas on either side of this berm, and pollinator forage is planted on top. This system effectively uses precipitation that might otherwise run off from the site to promote the growth of plants useful to both humans and pollinators.
Also at Bear Park, the drainage ditch areas that were required for local greenhouse construction permitting have been fitted with loose stone barriers (trincheras) that slow the water and promote its infiltration. These ditches have also been planted with a wide variety of hardy plants such as succulents, mints, and various flowers (for pollinator and bird forage, as well as human consumption (mints)). This practice has greatly reduced runoff from the site and has allowed for the creation of useful and attractive spaces that inspire site visitors.
Additionally, the spillover from these bioswales, the meltwater from snow removal from the same parking lot, and the snow melt/rain runoff from the Academic Building itself are channeled into a detention settling pond where particulate matter settles out before water (that has to reach a certain level) is released through a top-over grate into the storm sewer that ends up in the Yampa River. This pond is located within the Bear Park Permaculture Center where the water it infiltrates serves to bolster the groundwater available to site trees and other plantings.
Also within Bear Park Permaculture Center, permaculture students and faculty have constructed a large hugelkultur berm near the base of a major hillside on the property. Hugelkultur makes use of scrap wood (such as tree trimmings) that is buried inside mounds where it breaks down to release nutrients and form an organic sponge for water. The hillside above the berm slopes downward from a parking lot at 45 degrees and catches a great deal of snow (the average in Steamboat Springs being 300+ inches per year). The meltwater (and rainwater in the summer) that moves downward from the hill intercepts the hugelkultur berm where it is slowed down and spread out, promoting infiltration. Many fruit trees are planted in the areas on either side of this berm, and pollinator forage is planted on top. This system effectively uses precipitation that might otherwise run off from the site to promote the growth of plants useful to both humans and pollinators.
Also at Bear Park, the drainage ditch areas that were required for local greenhouse construction permitting have been fitted with loose stone barriers (trincheras) that slow the water and promote its infiltration. These ditches have also been planted with a wide variety of hardy plants such as succulents, mints, and various flowers (for pollinator and bird forage, as well as human consumption (mints)). This practice has greatly reduced runoff from the site and has allowed for the creation of useful and attractive spaces that inspire site visitors.
A copy of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines:
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A brief description of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines that supports the responses above:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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