Calaveras Hall Rain Garden and Porous Pavement
The north side of Calaveras Hall showcases three LID BMPs: disconnected downspouts, a rain garden, and porous concrete pavement in a patio configuration.
Disconnecting Downspouts
Before this project, the downspouts draining the roof were connected directly to the campus storm drain system. Consequently, runoff from the roof was sent directly to the American River with no treatment. For this LID BMP, the downspouts were cut and the runoff was channeled away from the building in concrete valley gutters to a new rain garden. A valley gutter is a very shallow concrete ditch constructed on the soil surface, resembling a narrow walkway shaped like a “V” (see photo below).
Rain Garden
In this rain garden, runoff percolates through a layer of compost-amended soil to remove pollutants. The runoff then infiltrates into the native soil (see diagram below). During large storms, excess runoff overflows into the campus drain system and is conveyed to the American River.
Porous Pavement
Next to the rain garden is a porous pavement patio that collects runoff from the local impervious walkways. Water passing through the pavement infiltrates into the soil (see the image below).
Want more details? https://www.owp.csus.edu/csus-lid/
Changing Conventional Construction Practices
Standard construction practice is to compact soils so that they can bear weight. This, however, reduces the soil's ability to infiltrate water. The construction contractors on this project were told not to place heavy machinery on infiltrating beds, but this instruction wasn't always passed down to those actually doing the work (see photo below). Fortunately, once everyone understood the goals of the project, new procedures were implmented and the project moved ahead.
These are the plants at this BMP Site:
Featured Plant
California Coffee Berry (Rhamnus Californica)
Rhamnus Californica: Image by: Evangele19 (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)
Berkeley Sedge (Carex Divulsa)
Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia Rigens)
Douglas Iris (Iris Douglasiana)
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x Acutiflora 'Karl Floerster')
Lomandra (Lomandra Longfolia 'Breeze')
Maritime Ceanothus (Ceanothus Maritimus 'Valley Violet')
Spreading Rush (Juncus Patens 'Elk Blue')
Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus Aurantiacus)
Want more details? https://www.owp.csus.edu/csus-lid/
Disconnecting Downspouts
Before this project, the downspouts draining the roof were connected directly to the campus storm drain system. Consequently, runoff from the roof was sent directly to the American River with no treatment. For this LID BMP, the downspouts were cut and the runoff was channeled away from the building in concrete valley gutters to a new rain garden. A valley gutter is a very shallow concrete ditch constructed on the soil surface, resembling a narrow walkway shaped like a “V” (see photo below).
Rain Garden
In this rain garden, runoff percolates through a layer of compost-amended soil to remove pollutants. The runoff then infiltrates into the native soil (see diagram below). During large storms, excess runoff overflows into the campus drain system and is conveyed to the American River.
Porous Pavement
Next to the rain garden is a porous pavement patio that collects runoff from the local impervious walkways. Water passing through the pavement infiltrates into the soil (see diagram below).
Want more details? https://www.owp.csus.edu/csus-lid/
Changing Conventional Construction Practices
Standard construction practice is to compact soils so that they can bear weight. This, however, reduces the soil's ability to infiltrate water. The construction contractors on this project were told not to place heavy machinery on infiltrating beds, but this instruction wasn't always passed down to those actually doing the work (see photo below). Fortunately, once everyone understood the goals of the project, new procedures were implemented and the project moved ahead.
These are the plants at this BMP Site:
Featured Plant
California Coffee Berry (Rhamnus Californica)
Rhamnus Californica: Image by: Evangele19 (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)
Berkeley Sedge (Carex Divulsa)
Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia Rigens)
Douglas Iris (Iris Douglasiana)
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x Acutiflora 'Karl Floerster')
Lomandra (Lomandra Longfolia 'Breeze')
Maritime Ceanothus (Ceanothus Maritimus 'Valley Violet')
Spreading Rush (Juncus Patens 'Elk Blue')
Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus Aurantiacus)
Want more details? https://www.owp.csus.edu/csus-lid/