University of Kansas
OP-27: Rainwater Management

A Stormwater Master Plan for the Lawrence Campus was completed in 1993. The plan suggested improvements which have been implemented incrementally as funding is available. Maps about campus utilities are restricted for security reasons. Information about the Stormwater Plan may be requested from the Office of Design and Construction Management at kudcm@ku.edu or http://www.dcm.ku.edu/ Following the guidance of these plans, the University attempts to address stormwater BMPs and include sustainable stormwater initiatives with expansion and renovation projects on campus. KU also attempts to reduce stormwater runoff in landscape maintenance practices through the use native plant materials on West Campus to improve the percolation of rain water via extensive root systems, and striving for 100% coverage of bare soil with vegetation, mulch, gravel, or erosion netting. The University also complies with the City of Lawrence stormwater regulations for detention and system outflow requirements. The 2013 KU Campus Master Plan also includes sustainable stormwater initiatives in providing bioswales and other stormwater treatment trains in areas of new development. Phase 2 of the reconstruction of Jayhawk Boulevard is in design and will include bio-swales behind the curbline to divert stormwater for improved water quality and ground water percolation. Following the guidance of these plans, the University attempts to address stormwater BMPs and include sustainable stormwater initiatives with expansion and renovation projects on campus. KU also attempts to reduce stormwater runoff in landscape maintenance practices through the use native plant materials on West Campus to improve the percolation of rain water via extensive root systems, and striving for 100% coverage of bare soil with vegetation, mulch, gravel, or erosion netting. The University also complies with the City of Lawrence stormwater regulations for detention and system outflow requirements. The 2013 KU Campus Master Plan also includes sustainable stormwater initiatives in providing bioswales and other stormwater treatment trains in areas of new development. Phase 2 of the reconstruction of Jayhawk Boulevard is in design and will include bio-swales behind the curbline to divert stormwater for improved water quality and ground water percolation.

Building Sustainable Traditions, the campus sustainability plan for the Lawrence Campus, encourages: - Updating of the existing 1993 Stormwater Master Plan to include BMPs. - Increasing the square footage of rain gardens, bioswales and climate adapted plantings on Main Campus. - Reducing the square footage of no-permeable pavements on campus by converting pavements to permeable surfaces. - Developing building standards that encourage or require green roofs. The 2013 KU Campus Master Plan also supports these initiatives and provides specific recommendations for future projects.

Green roofs have been included on the Anderson Football Complex and Center for Design Research.

With the help of a grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the 2013 reconstructed parking lot 54 has permeable pavement, among many other sustainable attributes. Permeable pavements are being considered for other parking lot reconstruction projects.

The rain garden at the Ambler Student Recreation Center building has diverted the downspouts from the new addition to discharge into the rain garden.

There are three rain gardens on campus. The first and largest is catches all water that comes off of the roof of the Ambler Student Recreation Center addition and contains a wide variety of native plant species. The second rain garden is located near the School of Pharmacy building and catches all storm water from the roof of that building and also contains a number of native plant species. The newest rain garden is located on the edge of the newly reconstructed parking lot 54.

KU has two retention ponds on campus (Potter Lake @ 1.5 ac. and the West Campus lake @ 1.9 ac.) and eight detention ponds. Potter Lake was recently improved to include a vegetated sediment basin at the inflow.

Bioswales have been constructed in medians and at the stormwater outflow at Park and Ride (a large parking facility on the western edge of campus), at the Transit Facility (where campus and city buses are parked), on the south end of Potter Lake,and as part of treatment train of raingardens and bioswales on West Campus. The newly reconstructed parking lot 54 also uses vegetated bioswales for stormwater management. Currently, phase 2 of the Jayhawk Boulevard project is in design and includes vegetated bio-swales behind the curb line for diverted stormwater.

Underground detention exists in numerous facilities on campus. KU also constructed a 5000 square foot raingarden in 2009 to capture stormwater from the roof of the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center expansion. The garden was designed by students and has been maintained with sustainable practices through volunteer efforts. Additional stormwater management recommendations are included within the 2013 KU Master Plan. Other technologies/strategies employed include vacuum-sweeping streets and parking lots to remove sediments and other debris before it enters the stormwater management system; avoiding/minimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides where possible; eliminating point sources where possible (e.g., as part of the Jayhawk Blvd Phase 1B reconstruction the drain line from Chi Omega Fountain was replumbed so instead of discharging to Potter Lake it now discharges to the sanitary sewer which is significant because the fountain was known to be source of nutrient loading to the lake particularly after students poured detergent into the fountain); and other measures such as education/training.