Low Impact Development Protects Water, Saves Energy…and Attracts Tourists?

Communities across the country are discovering how Low Impact Development (LID), or Green Infrastructure – which includes a variety of practices such as rain gardens, tree planting, bioswales, green roofs and rainwater harvesting – can cost-effectively keep polluted stormwater out of rivers while reducing the energy costs of water pumping and treatment. Now, my hometown of Portland, OR is discovering another economic benefit of LID: tourism.

By now, most people are familiar with the many benefits of LID/green infrastructure. The idea of restoring an area to its predevelopment, natural hydrology has been around for a while, but now that the concept is being widely applied, there is a growing body of evidence illustrating the water, energy and cost savings associated with LID. A 2007 report on LID projects found that out of 17 development projects, LID was cheaper than traditional stormwater management by 15 to 80% in every case but one. By keeping pollutants out of water supplies, green infrastructure can help protect the health of communities downstream while reducing their water treatment costs.

LID is also a key strategy for preventing and preparing for climate change. Rain gardens and bioswales allow stormwater to recharge aquifers, which maintains groundwater levels and stream flows throughout the year. Trees and green roofs can have a cooling effect on hot days, decreasing the urban heat island effect and the energy required to cool buildings. Groundwater recharge from rain gardens and rainwater harvesting can create local, low-energy water supplies that can make a water system more reliable (by diversifying supply sources) while avoiding the need to development new water supplies.

A recent study looking at LID in San Francisco and Los Angeles found that LID strategies can provide California with enough water for 810,000 households. This in turn would save 1.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity by obviating the need for more energy-intensive water supplies (such as seawater desalination). The energy savings will reduce the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as taking nearly 100,000 cars off the road, and the best part: the benefits would increase each year thereafter.

As a self-professed water wonk, I frequently annoy my friends and family by stopping to marvel at Portland’s many green infrastructure projects whenever I stumble upon one I haven’t seen. It’s always fascinating to see different variations of rain gardens and curb extensions, and nothing gets me more excited than spotting a hard-to-see green roof from the street. A number of places around Portland have also begun incorporating artwork into their green infrastructure projects, making them even more aesthetically pleasing and, at times, thought-provoking. Here are a couple pictures of an art-installation in a rain garden at a neighborhood grocery store. On the left you can see the installation during a heavy downpour and on the right is the metal statue that serves as its centerpiece:

As Portland gains notoriety for its green infrastructure initiative, and with local projects becoming more diverse and creative everyday, it seems like a no-brainer that tourists would flock to the city to admire its rain gardens. As USA Today reports:

The most surprising tourist attraction in Portland, Ore., is its storm sewer system.

Eco-friendly tourists flock to the city to understand how Portland's innovative system of curbs, gutters, roofs and rain gardens sharply cuts water pollution.

So popular is the "Green Streets" program that the city publishes a map on its website directing tourists to the most exciting storm sewer sites.

"When we started this 10 or 12 years ago, there was a lot of skepticism," says Dean Marriott, director of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services. "Today, many cities are moving in this direction. People want to see how it's done."

Promote LID/green infrastructure in your community to begin saving water, energy and money. Perhaps you’ll even help jumpstart your community’s tourism industry by replacing conventional grey sewer systems with cost-effective, beautiful rain gardens, green roofs and other LID techniques.

To learn about how Portland has become a leader in green sewer infrastructure, check out their Grey to Green Initiative website, where you can learn about the progress the city has made.

It is also worth noting that in April 2007, the Portland City Council approved a Green street resolution, report, and policy to promote and incorporate the use of green street facilities in public and private development. The council recognizes that a comprehensive Green Street approach is an important development strategy to:

• Reduce polluted stormwater entering Portland’s rivers and streams;
• Improve pedestrian and bicycle safety;
• Divert stormwater from the sewer system and reduce basement flooding, sewer backups and combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to the Willamette River;
• Reduce impervious surface so stormwater can infiltrate to recharge groundwater and surface water;
• Increase urban green space;
• Improve air quality and reduce air temperatures;
• Reduce demand on the city’s sewer collection system and the cost of constructing expensive pipe systems;
• Address requirements of federal and state regulations to protect public health and restore and protect watershed health; and
• I ncrease opportunities for industry professionals.