KDSWCD 23rd Annual Soil Erosion & Sediment Control Workshop


Green Infrastructure

“Storm water management technique or practice employed with the primary goal of preserving, restoring, or mimicking natural hydrology. Green infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, methods of using soil and vegetation to promote soil percolation, evapotranspiration, and filtration. Green infrastructure includes the preservation and restoration of natural landscape features, such as forests, floodplains, headwaters, and wetlands. Green infrastructure also includes rain gardens, permeable pavements, green roofs, infiltration planters, trees and tree boxes, and rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses, such as toilet flushing and landscape irrigation.” (Public Act 96-26)

Projects from around the World

St. Charles, IL ~ 7th Avenue Creek floods no more

Copenhagen ~ striving to be a sponge city

New York City, NY ~ green infrastructure = ASSETS plus 2025 $61 million Green Resiliency Grant

Lake County SMC ~ BMP showcase

Spokane, WA ~ Cochran Basin wins Governor’s Award for SMART Projects

Tampa, FL ~ Stormwater + Recreation = Showstopper

Greenville, SC ~ flood control bonus hurricane video

Chicago, IL ~ gardens manage stormwater AND grow food

Normal, IL~ roundabout captures stormwater

Houston, TX ~ streetscape retrofit

Washington D.C. ~ courtyard treats stormwater AND wastewater

Holland, MI ~ snowmelt system uses waste heat from power plant = no plowing/salting

Montreal ~ Sponge Parks = recreational stormwater retention

Cleveland, OH ~ green roof as art, plus living wall, permeable paving & more

Manhattan, NY ~ elevated rail line converted into miles of park

Youngstown, OH ~ Cranberry Run Watershed stormwater park mitigates flooding

Easton, PA ~ from lawn to complex micro forest in only 6 years

Finland ~ data center waste heat = warming entire city blocks

Chesapeake Bay Area ~ biochar achieves watershed goals

Wake County, NC ~ Green Stormwater Infrastructure Storymap

Aix-en-Provence, France ~ a bridge with green lungs

Certified sustainable landscape projects worldwide (includes Illinois examples)

green infrastructure online resource tool

US EPA Green Infrastructure Website

IEPA Green Infrastructure Website