Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 61.04
Liaison Tina Woolston
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Tufts University
OP-23: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 2.00 Greg Mellett
Ground Supervisor
Facilities Services
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Which of the following best describes the institution’s approach to rainwater management?:
Less comprehensive policies, plans or guidelines that incorporate green infrastructure

A brief description of the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices:

Tufts follows Massachusetts' stormwater policies and regulations. See http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/wastewater/stormwat.htm for details.

Sophia Gordon Hall has a stormwater management system that exceeds the requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Stormwater Management Policy and includes a reduction in peak stormwater runoff. The total site area of Sophia Gordon Hall is 50,000 square feet. 58% of the site (approximately 21,000 square feet) is pervious (i.e. water can penetrate directly into the soil). A number of catch basins, a Stormtech infiltration system, and an underground detention Advanced Drainage System (ADS) reduce the rate of runoff into the city's storm sewer by maintaining or holding the water and releasing it slowly.

Additional stormwater retention systems have been integrated into recent construction projects, including a new catch basin constructed in 2017. There is also currently a small green roof research project on Tisch Library that reduces stormwater runoff.

The Central Energy Plant was built in 2017 and is at the bottom of the hill, so includes swales.

There is a water retention system of tanks under our fields.

Tufts built a structure on the Grafton campus's equine arena and small animal hospital expansion. The town conservation commission required a stormwater handling system on the opposite side of Route 30. This is compliant with LID requirements.


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:

The use of a rain garden, swales, dry wells and detention ponds, proper aerating and soil amendments to promote infiltration.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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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