Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.41
Liaison Tracey Coronado
Submission Date April 1, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Missouri State University
OP-27: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Doug Neidigh
Sustainability Coordinator
Environmental Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution use Low Impact Development (LID) practices as a matter of policy or standard practice to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff volume and improve outgoing water quality for new construction, major renovation, and other projects?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s Low Impact Development (LID) practices:

As standard practice the University requires contractors to manage all stormwater runoff during construction to avoid polluting local waterways and ground water. The University also employs stormwater detention basins to control storm water runoff from University property. The detention basins collect runoff and slowly release the water to reduce the risk of flooding to the properties surrounding the campus. Whenever new pervious area is added to the campus, stormwater detention facilities or other stormwater management facilities are included in the design of the project to reduce the impact of the development.

The University worked with the City of Springfield and Watershed Committee of the Ozarks to modify the existing detention basin just west of Greenwood Lab School to improve the quality of stormwater runoff. The modifications included removing the existing straight concrete channel from the bottom of the basin and replacing it with a serpentine swale and check dams to create a bioswale. Native plants were also installed to help filter the water. The quality of the stormwater was monitored for a period of time prior to the improvements and continues to be monitored to determine if the modifications have improved the quality of the stormwater runoff.

As part of the construction of the Bill R. Foster Family Recreation Center a rain garden was created to receive roof drain site runoff. The rain garden is planted with suitable native plants to help filter the water that accumulates in the rain garden. A subdrain is installed below the rain garden and amended soil is installed over the subdrain to allow the water to be filtered before it enters the municipal storm drainage system.


Has the institution adopted a rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, or strategies that mitigate the rainwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations through the use of green infrastructure? :
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies for ongoing campus operations:

MSU manages storm water through a variety of procedures that have evolved over time. To mitigate over-taxing the City’s storm water systems and reduce flooding, detention of the water prior to release into the storm systems has proven successful. Emphasis began in the mid-nineties with some major structures.
Properly installed and managed rain gardens filter water before it enters the storm water systems. Currently one exists at the northwest corner of the Foster Recreation Center.


A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:

Missouri State University and Watershed Committee of the Ozarks have completed the construction of a rainwater collection system at the MSU William H. Darr Agricultural Center. This project is part of the Big Urbie stormwater grant to improve water quality and reduce stormwater runoff. The rainwater collection system can capture 20,000 gallons of water from the roof of Pinegar Arena to store in underground tanks. The water is used for dust suppression inside the arena. Rainwater harvesting reduces the amount of runoff and conserves drinking water.


Rainwater harvested directly and stored/used by the institution, performance year:
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A brief description of any rainwater filtering systems employed by the institution to treat water prior to release:

The university utilizes detention basins and rain gardens for filtering rainwater.


A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:
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A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:

The university has one rain garden located at Foster Recreation Center


A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:

The university has several stormwater retention areas, including the largest, a 500,000 cubic foot basin at the SW quadrant of the corner of Grand Street and National Avenue which has proved to be very successful in eliminating flooding, even in record level rainfalls.


A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):

MSU has a bioswale at Greenwood Laboratory school where the detention basin at Greenwood Laboratory School was retrofitted in summer 2014 by removing the concrete channel and constructing a rock check dam and swale through the basin to slow, spread, and soak up and filter the run off.


A brief description of any other rainwater management technologies or strategies employed by the institution:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s rainwater management initiatives, plan or policy is available:
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.