Stormwater Best Management Practices

Pennsylvania Stormwater BMP Manual (2006) Best Management Practices Links

Projects: Legion Park Geoweb Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Workshop

Rain or snow that falls either soaks into the ground to become groundwater, evaporates, or flows off over the land surface. The overland flow is called runoff or stormwater and is the primary water source for vernal pools, wetlands, streams, rivers, lakes, and water-supply reservoirs. Stormwater washes along or dissolves some of the materials in its path. Vegetative surfaces slow the flow, filter out sediments, and can break down or trap pollutants in the root zone. In contrast, buildings, roads, parking areas, and exposed bedrock increase the volume and speed of stormwater runoff since none can soak in and the hard surfaces present little resistance to flow.

To prevent flooding and protect property in developed areas, stormwater drainage systems collect stormwater runoff and carry it away from roadways and structures to a discharge point. Most discharges are into natural waters. Stormwater drainage systems consist of curbs, gutters, storm drains, channels, ditches, pipes, and culverts and do not treat the stormwater. Stormwater becomes a transportation system for pollutants. Soil that erodes from a construction site, cigarette butts and other litter from parking lots, antifreeze and oil dripped from cars, fertilizers and pesticides from turf management, and grit and salt left from de-icing operations on roadways can be deposited untreated into our waterways. Water can contain and transport sediments, metals (copper, cadmium, chromium, lead, zinc), nutrients (nitrates, phosphates, ammonia), salt, petroleum products and coliform bacteria among other materials. This is why stormwater is such a significant contributor to water pollution. Polluted stormwater runoff and discharges in urbanized areas cause serious water-quality problems. Polluted runoff to waterbodies can affect aquatic plant and animal life in streams and lakes, reduce recreational activities such as boating and swimming, and increase flooding conditions.

Best Management Practices

Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual (2006)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Forward

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Table of Contents

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Introduction and Purpose (Chapter 1)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Making the Case for Stormwater Management (Chapter 2)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Principles and Recommended Control Guidelines (Chapter 3)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Integrating Site Design and Stormwater Management (Chapter 4)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Non-Structural BMPs (Chapter 5)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Structural BMPs (Chapter 6)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Special Management Areas (Chapter 7)

PA Stormwater BMP Manual - Stormwater Calculations and Methodology (Chapter 8)

Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas

The Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas is a tool created to assist developers, engineers, municipal officials, conservation district personnel and others involved with the planning, design, review and approval or building development projects. It describes practices and principles that are aesthetically pleasing and space efficient, while protecting water quality and improving wildlife habitat.

Thirty-seven practices are described in the handbook including smaller, less obtrusive practices that can be used alone or in combination with larger conventional structural practices. While the handbook is not intended to be a comprehensive site planning and practice design manual, it can be used to develop site plans that meet the Pennsylvania requirements for erosion and sediment control and address local storm water control regulations. More so, it summarizes state-of-the-art site planning and BMP alternatives from the Northeast Unites States and other areas, and tailors them to Pennsylvania conditions.

Homeowner - Stormwater Best Management Practices

Rain Gardens

Rain Garden Fact Sheet

Rain Gardens: A Household Way to Improve Water Quality in your Community

Rain Gardens - A How-to Manual for Homeowners

Gardening with Water Quality in Mind

Rain Barrels

How to Build a Rain Barrel and install a Rain Garden

Rain Barrel Assembly - Fact Sheet

Best Management Practices - Details

Bioretention Area

Rain Garden/ Bioretention Bed

Infiltration Trench and Dry Well

Infiltration Trench

Wet Pond

Projects

Legion Park Geoweb Project

adjacent lot without Geoweb completed lot using Geoweb

In the Fall of 2004, Legion Park representatives approached the Blair County Conservation District with a problem. The Legion Park parking lot, near the sports fields and pavilions, often had a problem with water ponding after rain events. This created problems for parking long after rain events were over. Historically, stone was periodically placed on the Legion parking lot to aid in creating a better parking surface. This solution proved to be only a temporary fix for a much larger problem. The parking lot was a low spot in the park. The ponding water on the parking lot had nowhere to drain. Years of parking traffic had compacted the underlying soils and stone to an extent that would allow for minimal infiltration of water back into the ground. With no place to drain and very little infiltration, the water would remain on the parking lot for an extended period of time.

The Blair County Conservation District recognized this problem and suggested that a product called “Geoweb” might be the solution. Geoweb is a plastic-like and honeycomb shaped cellular confinement system that is manufactured by Presto Company. Geoweb has many applications including: parking surfaces, slope protection, channel protection, and load support. The product comes in many different sizes and the size requirements depend on desired use and needs. Recognizing that compaction and lack of drainage were the primary factors at Legion Park , the Conservation District felt that the stormwater storage and load support abilities of the Geoweb would be a suitable solution to the problems.

The Conservation District approached Keller Engineers, Inc. to help with a parking lot design that would minimize the problems the parking lot was experiencing. The design team then contacted ACF Environmental, who is the local Pennsylvania supplier of the Geoweb product. ACF Environmental suggested that the 4-inch Geoweb cell be used. To allow for stormwater storage and infiltration, the design team decided that excavating the existing compacted soil and stone from the parking lot was necessary. A trench approximately 180 feet in length, 2 ½ feet deep, and 11 feet wide was also included in the design to allow for additional stormwater storage. The design also called for geotextile separation fabric to be used between the underlying soils and the parking lot materials. The design team contacted local contractors Ben L. May Excavating and Richard Curry Excavating to aid in final design and project layout. Ben L. May Excavating made the final touches on the design, aided in layout, and was essential in the completion of the project.

On June 2, 2005 the first phase of the project began. Hollidaysburg Borough excavated the top few inches of existing parking surface materials--mainly stone gravel. This material was placed on other roadways throughout Legion Park . The second phase of the project began on June 6^th with Ben L. May Excavating removing the remainder of the existing compacted materials and Richard Curry Excavating hauling the materials from the site. The trench was also constructed at this time. By late afternoon the project was ready for the geotextile separation fabric to be placed. Representatives from the Blair County Conservation District , ACF Environmental, and Keller Engineers placed the fabric on the freshly excavated surface and in the trench. That same evening, New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company brought the first layer of clean #3 stone. The stone was placed over the entire parking surface and in the bottom half of the trench. The voids in the #3 stone would allow for stormwater storage under the parking surface. Once the #3 stone was placed to the desired depth, a thin layer of #57 stone was placed on top of the parking lot. Another layer of geotextile separation fabric was placed in the trench and the remainder of the trench was filled with topsoil.

On June 7^th the volunteers from the Blair County Conservation District , Keller Engineers, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Blair County, ACF Environmental, and Natural Resources Conservation Service began placement of the Geoweb material. This type of project had never been completed in Blair County and the Geoweb placement was a learning experience for all of the volunteers. The scorching temperatures, high humidity, and bright sun posed additional hurdles for the relentless volunteers to overcome. As large sections of the Geoweb was placed, it was then backfilled by Ben L. May Excavating and Tom Hurliman with more clean #57 stone. By mid afternoon on June 8^th the final sections of Geoweb were placed and backfilled with stone. On June 24^th the Conservation District completed permanent seeding and mulching of disturbed areas around the parking lot and temporary seeding and mulching of the trench/landscape area. The final landscape plan for the trench area is being developed by Tim Harlow. It is expected that the final landscaping for this area will be completed Fall 2005 when weather permits such planting. A sign describing the parking lot and identifying volunteers and contributors will be erected in the landscaped area.

The final product appears to be a success. The total improved parking area is approximately 16,300 square feet. Although rain events this summer have been rare, a few heavy thundershowers have proven that the stormwater storage capacity of the parking lot and trench are more than enough to handle significant sized storms. The load support capabilities of the Geoweb structure will support the weight of the vehicles and will greatly reduce the compaction of the underlying stone and soils. This project could not have been a success without the help of the wonderful volunteers who contributed time, materials, equipment, money, and labor to this worthy project. Without these volunteers and their contributions, this project would have never been completed.

Project Contributors

Design & Layout

Keller Engineers, Inc.; Blair County Conservation District ; ACF Environmental; Ben L. May Excavating, Inc.

Excavation, Earthmoving, Stone Placement

Ben L. May Excavating, Inc.; Curry Excavating; Hollidaysburg Borough; Tom Hurliman

Geoweb Placement, Geotextile Placement

Blair County Conservation District - Steve Putt, Rich Huether, Jim Eckenrode, Donna Fisher

Keller Engineers, Inc. - Joe, Joan & Jared Keller, Teddie Kreitz

Natural Resources Conservation Service - Rob Clauto, Dan Treese

ACF Environmental - Greg Kramer

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Blair County - Lisa Purcell, Ellen Black

Landscape Plan Development

Tim Harlow

Contribution of Funds & Materials (Monetary or Reduced Pricing of Materials)

New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company - reduced stone prices

Legion Park Softball Association - monetary contribution

ACF Environmental - free geotextile materials

Rain Barrels

What is a rain barrel?

A rain barrel collects rooftop runoff from your rain gutter and stores it to be used later for activities such as lawn and garden watering, car washing and even window cleaning.

Why should I use one?

Rain barrels help save homeowners money by conserving water, while also improving water quality in our local streams and rivers.

Rainwater draining from roofs of homes and businesses can cross lawns and impervious surfaces (such as driveways and parking lots), picking up fertilizers, pesticides, trash, oil, and animal wastes. These non-point sources of pollution can then enter our local streams and rivers.

How to use your new rain barrel:

Choose a location for your rain barrel. Which of your downspouts does most of the storm water exit from? From which downspout does the water drain directly to an impervious surface, like a sidewalk or a driveway? These examples would make a good choice for a rain barrel location.

Install your new barrel on a sturdy elevated surface. Cement blocks make a great base for your barrel. (make sure the surface is flat and sufficient to support your barrel, remember full barrels can weigh over 400 lbs and need a strong base)

Connect the downspout to the barrel. Trim your chosen downspout a few inches above the installed rain barrel. An elbow may be needed to aim the water into the barrel opening.

Plant a rain garden for overflow. Install a garden at the base of the overflow to hold excess water and allow it to seep slowly in the ground. Information on rain gardens can be found above.

Maintenance. Drain the barrel after storms. Occasionally check it over to make sure the connections are clear and secure.

And Remember…… Never use the rain barrel water to drink, bathe, or wash dishes with!!

Rain Barrel the Design

After review of several different designs we decided to use one that had been previously developed through a partnership with the Potomac Conservancy and the Montgomery Department of Environmental Protection in Maryland. Check out their Rain Barrel Assembly-Factsheet

Note - we added two modifications to the above design. The first modification was the addition of an optional o-ring and lock nut, that is to be placed on the inside of the barrel on the 3/4 Brass Hose Bibb. The second modification is a 11/4 lock nut on either side of the 11/4 Adapter insert. Both of these modifications are intended to add a little more security/ support to the two outlets.

Rain Barrel the Parts

All the parts to construct your very own Rain Barrel can be purchased at your local home improvement store. The fifty or thirty gallon plastic barrels are used to transport bulk food products such as olives or cherries. These barrels are often sold second hand from the distributors themselves or at local markets. The barrels used in our workshop were purchased from Country Garden Market in Huntingdon. Click here for a complete list of materials needed including photos of all the primary pieces.

Rain Barrel Construction

Step A - cut the inlet drain in top of the barrel using a Rotozip ® or Jigsaw

Step B - drill the overflow hole to accommodate the 1 1/4 overflow adapter

Step C, Step D, Step E, Step F and Step G (coming soon)

Optional - Click here for Directions on How to Paint your Rain Barrel

For those not interested in building their own Rain Barrels the District in cooperation with Spruce Creek Rainsavers is offering a very nicely manufactured Rain Barrel for the reduced price of $120.00, that's a saving of $43.00, while supplies last. The regular price for the barrels is $139.99 + $23.00 for shipping and handling. The barrels come in either moss green or teraa cotta and can be picked up at the District office in Hollidaysburg. Please call ahead, 814-696-0877 x5 to make sure we still have some available.

Links

Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas

Cahill Associates Environmental Consultants

International Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) Database

Chester County Stormwater BMP Self Guided Tour Site Locations

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