Environmental Site Design (ESD) Presentation

Our friends at Hord | Coplan | Macht kindly extended an invitation to present an overview of the forthcoming regulations and design guidance in Maryland that requires the application of Environmental Site Design (ESD) on all projects. This is a turning point for stormwater design and represents a significant change in how sites will be designed in Maryland.

Overlooking the Baltimore Harbor on a rainy day – no better place or time to talk about stormwater management! Many HCM clients and staff attended – it was a very productive couple of hours. Check out the presentation:

We are already working on projects under these new regulations, which will go into effect in May, 2010.

Contact us here if you’d like to have a group that would be interested in having us present this information.

Water in the Southwest

After visiting the Scottsdale area recently, we were struck by the incredible development and population in an area that has very little water.  Irrigated golf courses everywhere?  Really?  While we’re sure it has been considered a marvel of engineering and mankind’s triumph over nature to be able to support such infrastructure in the middle of the desert, in the terms of this millennium’s trends  (ie sustainablilty), it seems quite bizarre.  That we are from the wet east coast no doubt plays into this observation.

Nonetheless, the following article points out the challenges of over-development in arid areas and the folly in some water politics.  That rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse is illegal in some areas illustrates the crazy misguided politics.  Seems to be pretty much the opposite of sustainability at the most basic level.

Lake Mead Is Drying Up | GOOD.

Arid dwellers, do comment to share your perspective.

FRONTLINE: poisoned waters | PBS

A definite eye-opener, worth the time to view.

FRONTLINE: poisoned waters | PBS.

Maintenance of Stormwater BMPs | stormh2o.com

Stormwater Mag has a new article on SWM Maintenance.  Maintenance of Stormwater BMPs | stormh2o.com.    Much to be said on this topic….  It is amazing that millions (billions???) of dollars of infrastructure goes in the ground and a small portion of it is maintained. …  which results in increased pollution.  It is the hidden pollution source of stormwater.  Of course, we are a bit jaded, ’cause SWMaintenance is one of the things we do.

Green roof studies

We’ve seen varying claims on the hydrologic effects of green roofs. More studies like this one seem to be happening all the time.

This is why we do Stormwater Management

An impressive series of video from Vice TV on the garbage patch in the middle of the Pacific.

It is all about PLASTICS. We pull a lot of it from stormwater facilities we maintain. Too bad the majority in the world is missed.

Twelve parts to this series, so it is a time committment. Start the story here.

Short on time? Skip to their arrival at the patch in part 9 here.

Recycled Pervious Paving

Firestone is marketing a pervious paving product made from recycled tire material. Applications for vehicular use seem sketchy, but a sweet specification for hardscapes and walks. Check it out at http://www.firestonesp.com/sustainable_products.asp.

Living in the Floodplain – your problem, or someone elses?

Interesting flooding vs drinking water situation on the Delaware River, with impacts ranging from folks living in the floodplain to the water supply of NYC.

Read it all here.

Pervious Paving Research

From RMC Research & Education Foundation:

The RMC Research & Education Foundation is proud to announce the release of its latest pervious concrete research report. The study Portland Cement Pervious Concrete Pavement: Field Performance Investigation on Parking Lot and Roadway Pavements was conducted at Cleveland State University over a three-year period. Field observations and testing were conducted at sites in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Colorado, and Pennsylvania with results validating that pervious concrete has performed well in freeze-thaw environments, with little maintenance required.

Notable points Comment: Little Maintenance required – music to our ears, if it holds up. Inclusion of freeze-thaw climate areas should answer some questions that have been lingering for some.

Community Garden Rainwater Harvesting Freebie!

Via Therese Ciesinski, Senior Editor: Organic Gardening Magazine

Do you know a community garden that could use the
donation of a rainwater harvesting system?

Last year, Organic Gardening magazine provided
rainwater harvesting systems to 20 community gardens
around North America as part of our Waterworks
project. The effort was a great success. Our sponsors,
Aveeno and Nature’s Path, gained a true appreciation
for the important benefits community gardens bring to
their participants and neighborhoods.

We are planning to bring this program to 15 more
gardens in 2008. Right now, we are in search of worthy
gardens to consider for this year’s program. To that
end, we have posted an application on our Website,
which you will find here (along with brief profiles of
the gardens we worked with last year):

http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-2-10-1531,00.html

She invites you to apply for any garden you are involved
with and ask that you please share this with any other
community gardeners you are in touch with.

If you have questions, contact at therese.ciesinski at rodale.com