Louisiana State University
OP-23: Stormwater Management

The Louisiana State University Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) is being administered as delineated in the Management Plan. The University continues to take a proactive approach to surpass the minimum standards of the Storm Water Management Program. The plan identifies the efforts and measures undertaken to address the six components as outlined in the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit. The six components include: • Public Education and Outreach • Public Participation and Involvement • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination • Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control • Post-Construction Storm Water Management for New Development and Redevelopment • Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping

LSU has installed thousands of square feet annually of porous paving to help provide water to the sub-surface tree root zone to maintain live oak health.

Campus lake acts as a retention pond for stormwater prior to discharge to the municipal strom sewer system. It provides a trap for sediment, wetland filtration, and detention when the pond is at low levels. The Enchanted Forest behind the Greek theatre is also a major dry detention pond on the north side of campus.

LSU has planted iris along ditch banks to help with filtration. The ditch along Campus Federal is a good project example.

Greenspace: LSU through deliberate planning efforts has designated green space with storm water conservation intentions as well as creating an aesthetic buffer zone. An example of this is the conversation of the old front nine golf course along Nicholson drive into an major campus parking lot. A high percentage of green space with a 300’ buffer zone along Nicholson Drive was included in the design as well as keeping most of the trees. The green space buffer zone serves as a surface water filtration and detention zone from the parking lot to the outfall swale. The west side of campus has a major, grassed, porous overflow parking lot. LSU has maintained a design directive to landscape parking areas, and greenspaces. All new parking lots must have a percentage of treed landscaping within the paving areas. Erosion Control: LSU Landscape Services has an year round major erosion control effort by using recycled hardwood mulch under the Live oak trees. This effort reduces soil erosion, promotes water absorption, tree heath and ultimately allows for continued shade for building facades, parking lots and pedestrians. Maintenance: LSU Landscape services provide daily inspection and maintenance to the campus drainage system. The campus users, tree root damage, and construction damage require daily site improvements projects to keep the drainage systems functioning. LSU is also installing strategic curbing along Highland Road at conflict areas to hold back the hard wood mulch and promote water absorption. Campus planning works closely with maintenance to promote, design, and install cost effective storm water management solutions. We are designing and testing new ways to provide porous barriers to hold back vegetative material from entering the drainage system. Atrium grates are installed all over campus and have helped with this issue. Ground cover is also planted to help slow down and absorb runoff. We are replacing undersized inlets with adequate grates to help flush out the system.