Low Impact Development

If you’re building a house or other development, consider using Low Impact Development (LID) techniques to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution.

The low impact development approach to developing land and managing stormwater is to imitate the natural hydrology (or movement of water) of the site. In a mature Pacific Northwest forest, for example, almost all the rainfall (or snowmelt) disperses along the forest floor, where it infiltrates into the ground, is taken up by the roots of plants and trees, or evaporates. Researchers estimate that about less than one percent becomes surface runoff.

But when forests and natural open spaces are cleared, and buildings, roads, parking areas and lawns dominate the landscape, rainfall becomes stormwater runoff, carrying pollutants to nearby waters. Much less water infiltrates and is taken up by plants, less evaporates back to the atmosphere, and much more (about 20-30 percent in a suburban neighborhood) becomes surface runoff or stormwater runoff.

If you’re building a house or other development, and would like more information about using Low Impact Development (LID) techniques to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution, the following are some Low Impact Development Web sites:

Puget Sound Partnership - http://www.psp.wa.gov/stormwater.php

Natural Resources Defense Council - http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/storm/chap12.asp

Low Impact Development Center, Inc. - http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/

Puget Sound Partnership – LID Brochure
http://www.psparchives.com/publications/our_work/stormwater/lid/lid_brochure/lid_brochure06_8.5x11.pdf

View 9-minute video about low impact development: - http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/video.html

Pervious Concrete Frequently Asked Questions – https://fp.auburn.edu/heinmic/PerviousConcrete/faqs.html

University of Oregon – Harvesting Rain http://www.uoregon.edu/~hof/S01havestingrain/learnMore.html

Rain Garden Network - http://www.raingardennetwork.com/