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

IEPA Green Infrastructure Website