Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 62.28
Liaison Dave Barbier
Submission Date Nov. 5, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
OP-22: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Abby Kreger
Reporting and Special Projects Coordinator
OoS
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Which of the following best describes the institution’s approach to rainwater management?:
Comprehensive policies, plans or guidelines that require LID practices for all new projects

A brief description of the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices:
All UW System institutions adhere to State policies in new construction and major renovations that dictate Low Impact Development practices for stormwater control on construction sites for any state-controlled land. Wisconsin Administrative codes NR 216, NR 151, and SPS 60 establish standards regulating soil erosion and protecting the quality of Wisconsin’s ground and surface water. The Department of Safety and Professional Services website for the Division of Industry Services Soil Erosion Program and DNR Construction Site Erosion Control and Stormwater Management can provide detailed information (https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/stormwater/construction/erosion_control.html). The Department of Administration-Division of Facilities Development & Management has adopted sustainable design practices for both erosion control and permanent stormwater management measures. Permanent storm water management measures must be incorporated into the final site and plumbing design in accordance with SPS 60 and NR 151, as well as the institution’s WPDES permit to discharge stormwater, on all construction sites disturbing one or more acres. Sediment and Erosion Control Plans shall meet the following objectives: prevent loss of soil during construction by stormwater runoff and/or wind erosion, including protecting topsoil by stockpiling for reuse, prevent sedimentation of storm sewer or receiving streams, and prevent polluting the air with dust and particulate matter.
Stormwater is dictated through State of Wisconsin Statutes NR 151: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/nr/100/151
Lastly, site development requirements were previously integrated into the State of Wisconsin's Sustainable Facilities Standards and include:
1) Reduced Site Disturbance: Development Footprint
2) Permanent Stormwater Management: Discharge Rate and Volume per DNR 151
3) Permanent Stormwater Management: Quality Treatment per DNR 151.
These standards are currently being updated (June 2020).

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:
A study was done in 2006 to create a plan, which can be used to guide the University of Stevens Point to address current drainage problems, recommend best management practices to solve those problems along with recommendations to meet the requirements set forth in the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and for future development.
The plan was then developed to assist the university to meet the current stormwater regulations and help in the planning for any future development to meet the requirements set forth by the EPA and Wisconsin DNR.
The storm water collection system installed in Parking Lot R is designed so that surface runoff water will hit the Wisconsin River as infrequent as once every 25 to 50 years. A manifold system works in conjunction with bio-filtration collection islands. The biological filters (rain gardens) installed at the surface throughout the lot remove suspended solids prior to recharging the groundwater in the area of the parking lot.
To help with storm water management, in 2005 UW-Stevens Point installed the first green roof in central Wisconsin on top of Albertson Hall. The project was supported by several UW-Stevens Point departments, including the library, Facility Services and the Global Environmental Management Education Center. The State of Wisconsin Division of State Facilities and Wisconsin Public Service were additional supporters.
Another method to storm water management are rain gardens. Campus rain gardens collect runoff water from the roof and filter it so cleaner water reaches the water table and less water reaches the storm system. Rain gardens can be seen throughout campus at these locations:

Parking Lot R
Parking Lot P/V
Old Main (2)
North side of Trainer Natural Resources Building
South of DeBot Dining Center

Optional Fields 

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:
Neale Hall renovation included a large 2-tier rain garden that has the ability to filtrate hundreds of gallons of storm water each year that might otherwise be diverted to paved areas, undersized storm sewer pipes, and the city of Stevens Point’s storm water infrastructure.

2012 New construction of Suite style residences hall includes a controlled flow roof drainage system that ties into a stone stormwater management feature at the south plaza; also, no irrigation used for landscaping

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