| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 45.35 |
| Liaison | Wesley Enterline |
| Submission Date | April 22, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
OP-27: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Wesley
Enterline Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Planning and Management |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
None
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
None
A brief description of the institution’s Low Impact Development (LID) practices:
Policies that dictate the Low Impact Development practices and best management strategies for stormwater control on construction sites for any state-controlled land include the Department of Administration/Division Facilities Development - Erosion Control master, Department of Administration/Division of Facilities Development - Civil and Sitework Guidelines, and State of Wisconsin Administrative Code, University of Wisconsin System, Chapter 18: Conduct on University Lands,
DSF Sustainable Facilities Standards-All building projects on state-owned lands in Wisconsin must conform with the following prerequisite standard for sustainable facilities:
Design a sediment and erosion control plan, specific to the site that conforms to the requirements of NR 216 or COMM 61.115, NR 151 and any local construction site erosion control ordinances.
The plan 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.
None
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
None
A brief description of the institution’s rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies for ongoing campus operations:
As of September 17, 2007, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources determined that discharges from the campus Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (M54) will be authorized and regulated under Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) MS4 General Permit No. Wl-S050075-1 , Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, in accordance with ch.283, Wis. Stats., and subch. of ch. NR 216, Wis. Adm. Code. Accordingly, the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater must comply with the terms and conditions of the permit in order to lawfully discharge storm water from its MS4 to waters of the state.
Associated with the MS4 Permit, the campus has partnered with the City of Whitewater as well as other municipalities in the Rock River basin in forming the Rock River Stormwater Group in December 2008 for the purpose of coordinating efforts in public education and public outreach on storm water issues.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Storm Water Management Plan was completed in August 2006, by Norris and Associates, Inc of Milwaukee, WI. This plan serves as the guide for the university in compliance with stormwater regulations. Additionally, a Stormwater Quality Management Plan was also completed for the university by Strand Associates of Madison WI on December 3, 2008, in conjunction with a Stormwater Quality Management Plan that Strand completed for the City of Whitewater. This storm water management plan is being maintained and updated as required to reflect significant progress and/or change in regulations, and it is being used as a guide in managing storm water issues, new construction, etc. on campus.
None
A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
A small amount of rainwater is harvested from Hyland Hall’s storm drain system and is re-purposed in the pondless water feature in the middle of the campus core.
None
Rainwater harvested directly and stored/used by the institution, performance year:
0
Cubic meters
None
A brief description of any rainwater filtering systems employed by the institution to treat water prior to release:
Using rainwater filtering systems to treat water prior to release (e.g. into public storm drain systems, drainage easements and water bodies)
A drainage easement has been utilized in the campus nature preserve to help alleviate flooding issues in the low-lying areas of the east residential zone on campus.
None
A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:
No living or vegetated roofs are currently employed on campus. At last review, it was determined this type of installation was economically infeasible.
None
A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:
Currently there is no permeable paving, although some options are being considered for development of paved pathways in nature areas to improve wheelchair accessability.
None
A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
There are very few buildings that have any opportunity for downspout disconnection since most of them have internal storm drain systems. The largest building that has downspouts is not a candidate for this program based on the grading of the land at its location. It would ultimately serve very little purpose since infiltration opportunities are limited. There are several small buildings that have disconnected downspouts, but the impact is minimal.
None
A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:
The only true rain garden to be established on campus was not properly graded and received too much water and ended up flooding the plants. There is a native grasses garden that functions largely like a rain garden near Upham Hall.
None
A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:
A detention pond was built during the Starin Hall construction project to assist with drainage for additional parking that was built to accommodate the increase in vehicles in this area.
None
A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):
There are large vegetated bioswales in Parking Lot 8 to absorb runoff from the nearby parking spots. Smaller bioswales made from stone are used extensively in the campus core and can be found near most storm water drains in this area.
None
A brief description of any other rainwater management technologies or strategies employed by the institution:
The institution employs best management practices at active construction sites to mitigate the impact of suspended solids in local waterways.
None
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:
http://www.whitewater-wi.gov/stormwater-utility
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.