New strategies for stormwater management-
Fife Highlands
Brent Zacharia
Civil and Environmental Engineering
To more effectively manage stormwater and respond to ESA listing of salmonid species in the region, a number of local jurisdictions are adopting new stormwater management guidelines that collectively are termed "Low Impact Development." The next, essential phase for incorporating these new practices into the regional development landscape is to construct pilot projects and monitor the hydrologic and market performance of Low Impact Development. The Center is participating in one such project, being led by Professor Curtis Hinman of Washington State University Cooperative Extension and supported by Brent Zacharia, Graduate Research Assistant in Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington. The development is a new residential subdivision between the cities of Federal Way and Tacoma named Fife Highlands, scheduled for construction during 2003-4. It will incorporate cluster design with accessible open space, rain gardens, porous surfaces, minimal excavation foundations, native vegetation and soil restoration, enhanced stream buffer systems, and other small-scale, dispersed stormwater controls. Through installation of automated monitoring equipment at the Fife site, we are collecting data on hydrological conditions at the site for pre and post development. Once the site is developed we will be able to assess how closely the hydrology mimics the pre-development hydrology, and which strategies hold the greatest promise. A description of the project is located at http://www.pierce.wsu.edu/Water_Quality/LID/index.htm.
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