Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.13
Liaison Bridget Flynn
Submission Date March 9, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Oberlin College
OP-27: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Bridget Flynn
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Environmental Sustainability
"---" 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:

New construction, like Kahn Hall and the Kohl Jazz Building, have incorporated bioswales. The student-run Oberlin Storm Water Management Project has installed additional rain gardens on campus.


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:

Water gardens are maintained as natural aquatic ecosystems. Floating plants are added to the water surface in spring to provide shade and consume nutrients in the water. The Grounds Department is conducting a project to inventory the storm drainage system on campus. Catch basins in the parking lots have been cleaned and repaired. Grounds has carried out a 3 year plan to vacuum catch basins in the landscape. At the same time the underground drain lines were flushed. New constructions like Kahn Hall and the Kohl Jazz Building have incorporated bioswales.


A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
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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 AJLC is designed to showcase alternative means of storm-water management available to businesses and cities. Water that falls on the roof, sidewalk and parking lot of the AJLC drains into the wetland and into a 9,700 gallon cistern buried to the north of the building. Cistern water can be used for irrigating the garden and fruit trees in the summer. In addition to its other functions, the wetland thus serves as a basin to temporarily impound and cleanse storm water. During drier portions of the year, rainwater stored in the cistern is pumped into the wetland so as to maintain desirable aquatic habitat.


A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:

A vegetated green roof was installed on part of Harkness, a co-op. Initial studies found an up to 90% storm water retention compared to the old roof for that portion.

Mudd Center also has a partial green roof.


A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:

Kahn Hall, Oberlin's new fist-year sustainability hall, includes a pilot porous pavement sidewalk and bike staging area.


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 student-run Oberlin Storm Water Management Project has installed additional rain gardens on campus; so far, Oberlin has installed two 100 square foot rain gardens on campus. Kahn Hall and village housing also includes porous pavement sidewalk and bike rack staging areas. Three buildings on campus have sections of green roof.


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

Oberlin has installed retention ponds at the Adam Joseph Lewis Center and Bertram and Judith Kohl Building.


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

New constructions like Kahn Hall and the Kohl Jazz Building have incorporated bioswales.


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:
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