| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.35 |
| Liaison | Delicia Nahman |
| Submission Date | Sept. 12, 2023 |
Lafayette College
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Scott
Kennedy Director of Facilities Operations Finance & Administrative |
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:
Our 2019 Sustainable Landscaping policy includes stormwater management priorities for campus including:
1. Enhancing forest communities on steep slopes through the removal of invasive species and replacement with native and ecologically supportive alternatives
2. Maintenance of existing rain gardens and identification of additional locations to replace existing impervious hardscapes and landscapes.
3. Capture of stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces in shallow depressions where possible, direct water into proper storm drains.
In addition,Lafayette College has two small rainwater collection tanks. The collected rainwater is used for irrigation.
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:
Per our 2019 landscaping policy (pg.10):
To help mitigate pollution from stormwater runoff from the College, the campus should enhance forest communities on steep slopes (areas at high potential for erosion) to increase their ability to act as buffers for reducing the quantity of water that enters the floodplain. These forests can perform valuable functions under the right conditions. Assessments below are sourced from the Lafayette College 2009 Master Plan Appendix by Biohabitats Inc., an ecological restoration organization who used rapid field reconnaissance strategy in May, 2008.
C. Forest Resources Improvement Plan:
1. Removal of the most invasive and detrimental species to ecology, considering impact on stormwater runoff and erosion
2. Phase in native and ecologically supportive trees, shrubs, and ground cover over time with precaution. Use plants appropriate for designated slope characteristics, such as exposure, soil type, and land use.
3. Professionally assess all plant growth periodically: bi-monthly for first two years and then bi-annually.
4. Continue removal of invasive and non-native species.
D. General Water Use, Water Conservation, and Stormwater Management Improvement Plan:
1. Sustain rain gardens throughout the year, identify more areas on College Hill and around the Arts Campus for stormwater runoff capture, and continue to implement rain gardens to replace unsustainable hardscapes and landscapes.
2. Capture stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces in shallow depressions where possible, direct water into proper storm drains.
3. Renovate hardscapes on steep slopes to aid in stormwater runoff reduction; increasing permeable surfaces and natural landscapes can counteract runoff into the Bushkill Creek.
Next Steps:
Stormwater Management Suggestions for College Hill Slopes:
a. South-facing slope assessment: very disturbed with a majority of the vegetation being non-native and/or invasive in the subcanopy and understory/groundcover. Shrubs and small trees/saplings of the subcanopy are fairly dense and primarily invasive plants. A lot of the ground level vegetation is invasive, dominated by vines and includes: poison ivy, English ivy, bittersweet, periwinkle, garlic mustard, Japanese hops with some maple and hickory seedlings present.
b. Northwestern facing slope assessment: mixed hardwood as well, shrub layer contains fewer invasive plants than southern slope, ground level cover is sparser due to lower light levels and dense beech canopy. The edges of this community resemble the southern slope and are dominated by poison ivy, garlic mustard, and Japanese honeysuckle.
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Other notes about rainwater collection infrastructure: Lafayette College has two small rainwater collection tanks. The collected rainwater is used for irrigation. A third collection tank will be installed this year at the new residence hall.
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.