Local and national resources to support municipalities in green infrastructure planning, funding, development and incorporation into stormwater management policy as well as financial studies to assess costs and savings.
Framework that guides the preservation and future implementation of green infrastructure in Southeast Michigan. The vision details the various benefits of green infrastructure, including economic value, water quality, air quality, and recreation. Additional Resources available at SEMCOG.org
A sampling of road improvement projects showcasing various approaches to integrating green infrastructure into road improvement projects to manage stormwater runoff. This guidebook presents case studies from within the Great Lakes Watershed and is a companion to the Low Impact Development (LID) Manual for Michigan. Additional Resources available at SEMCOG.org
Design guide providing communities, agencies, builders, developers, and the public with guidance on how to apply LID/GI to new, existing, and redevelopment sites. This manual outlines technical details of best management practices and provides a larger scope of managing stormwater through policy decisions, ordinances, master pans, and watershed plans. Additional Resources available at SEMCOG.org
Presentation examining "green street" efforts around the country to determine what elements would be desirable and feasible for the City of Ann Arbor. This discussion aims to make recommendations to improve, advance, enable, and standardize sustainable stormwater management as a standard design element of public infrastructure projects.
Philadelphia’s 25-year plan to protect and enhance their watersheds by managing stormwater with innovative green infrastructure. Through evaluation of a number of alternative implementation, the water department determined that green stormwater infrastructure-based approach would provide maximum return in environmental, economic, and social benefits within the most efficient timeframe. Additional information available at Phila.gov
This guide provides a framework for the long term and predictable implementation of green infrastructure. The concepts were developed around actual on-the-ground work done in Grand Rapids, MI and Milwaukee, WI. Additional information available at CNT.org
Financial Studies for Municipally Managed Green Infrastructure
Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has become a popular stormwater management tool, but many municipalities have found that they are creating a new challenge by installing rain gardens, bio-swales, a variety of wetlands, and bio-retention basins: maintenance. How do we maintain these new areas? And how much does it cost? Since 2015, the City of Ann Arbor has funded a project within the Water Resources Commissioner’s Office to create and implement a maintenance plan. Over three years, maintenance needs and cost estimates have been developed for GSI assets. Online version at APWA.net
Report investigating the types of benefits and quantification of the value that green infrastructure provides in Ann Arbor, MI and Milwaukee, WI. Projects and their benefits highlight the diverse and substantial economic benefits provided by green infrastructure in Great Lakes Watershed.
This study estimates the costs of incorporating various combinations of infiltration practices into several commercial and residential development scenarios by examining 20-year installation and operations & maintenance costs. This technical and economic feasibility analysis can be used to support stormwater management decision-making processes. Available at StormH2O.com