| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.24 |
| Liaison | Rob Andrejewski |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2022 |
University of Richmond
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 2.00 |
Rob
Andrejewski Director of Sustainability Office for Sustainability |
Which of the following best describes the institution’s approach to rainwater management?:
A brief description of the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices:
The Little Westham Creek stream restoration in the Eco-Corridor includes Little Westham Creek and three of its tributaries. The restoration realigned and raised the mainstem channel and cut a new floodplain with a small baseflow channel to increase overbank flow frequency. The main restoration reach has a drainage area of approximately three square miles. The site was completed in March 2020. Restoration activities included: Construction of a small, main channel through a wide, well-vegetated floodplain; Installation of riffles, pools and wood habitat structures along the main channel
Installation of stone steps and pools along the tributaries; Seeding and planting of native species throughout the stream banks, floodplain and uplands; Installation of a rain garden that captures runoff from three tributaries.
Westhampton Lake is used as a BMP (Best Management Practice) for the majority of campus that contribute to storm water runoff. Multiple areas not draining to the lake have been addressed using bioswales.
It should be noted that the 13 acre Westhampton Lake is cleaned of debris and the inlet dredged of sediment annually.
A copy of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines:
A brief description of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines that supports the responses above:
All new construction projects on campus are governed by the Chesapeake Bay Act which requires all land disturbance to provide erosion control measures which exceed the EPA standards. These measures include: erosion fencing trenched/staked around the land disturbed; construction entrances where mud is washed off vehicles prior to leaving the construction site; and temporary storm water retention ponds (when required).
The University has successfully met the regulatory requirements for stormwater quality and quantity through underground detention systems associated with new projects and the acknowledgement that Westhampton Lake improved downstream water quality.
Retention basins and underground pipe structures have metered outflows to keep flooding to a minimum.
Folllowing restoration, the main stream channel of Little Westham Creek has a 3.0 square mile urban watershed that has flash flood events during storms. When more than 0.25 to 0.5 inches of rain falls on the watershed, the flash flows breach out onto Little Westham Creek's floodplain where the vegetation helps to slow the velocity and capture pollutants. This approach of managing urban runoff in the floodplain (instead of by building streams with heavy stone structures) is much more ecologically beneficial and supports wetland formation in the floodplain, which improves both wildlife habitat and water quality.
Website URL where information about the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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