Oct. 9, 2020
Sustainable solutions to stormwater management: webinar to discuss green infrastructure design, construction, maintenance
By the U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Stormwater is a large source of water pollution and flooding in the United States
- Webinar intended for municipal staff, elected officials, engineers and consultants
- Participation is free; register at uaex.uada.edu/stormwater-webinar
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LITTLE ROCK — As urban areas and developments in rural areas continue to expand, stormwater runoff and its management are becoming increasingly critical issues.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service will address these issues and more during an Oct. 22 webinar: “Sustainable Solutions to Stormwater Management.”
The webinar is free to join, and is presented in partnership with Construction Eco Services, based in Jefferson, Louisiana. The webinar is scheduled to run from 1:30-2:30 p.m., CDT.
The program will focus on the design, construction and maintenance considerations of green infrastructure. The educational effort is funded in part by a grant from the Arkansas Division of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency, aimed at expanding green infrastructure.
Anthony Kendrick, a project manager with Construction Eco Services, said development philosophies such as “low impact development” have become increasingly popular to reduce detention volume, maximize land for development, and improve water quality.
“The most significant barrier to implementing this design approach is maintenance and premature sedimentation during construction,” Kendrick said. “Lessons learned and feedback from the designers, contractors, and maintenance contractors must be incorporated into the overall design process, creating a constant feedback loop that strives to improve functionality.”
Kendrick said that with green infrastructure innovations, new approaches to the building process need to be adopted. For example, permeable pavement and bioretention systems — two increasingly common tools for mitigating stormwater runoff — can easily become clogged during construction.
“To reduce the inherent risks of these systems, designers can use performance-based specifications that make these water quality systems ‘contractor proof.’” Kendrick said.
The upcoming webinar will examine a series of representative projects and take a “case study approach” to evaluating the design and construction of green infrastructure systems, he said.
“In addition to the design and construction methods, we will explore how maintenance can extend the life of these systems and keep them performing for years to come,” Kendrick said. “In this webinar participants will learn more about the concepts of LID and GI, rationale for their use, and considerations for design, construction, and maintenance.”
John Pennington, extension water quality educator for the Division of Agriculture, said the program is intended for engineers, planners, environmental consultants, landscape architects, water quality educators, extension agents, elected officials, state and municipal officials and anyone else with an interest in learning more about managing and improving stormwater management.
“Green infrastructure solutions can be applied on different scales, from landscaping to regional development,” Pennington said. “At the local level, green infrastructure practices include rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavers, green roofs, green walls and rainwater harvesting systems. At the largest scale, the connection, preservation, integration and restoration of built and natural landscapes such as parks and trails, and forests, floodplains and wetlands are beneficial components of green infrastructure.”
Participation is free, but registration is required. To register, visit www.uaex.uada.edu/stormwater-webinar.
To learn more about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @UAEX_edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact:
Ryan McGeeney
Communications Services
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
rmcgeeney@uada.edu