Upper Trinity River-Dallas: Implementing TMDLs through Low Impact Development
Background
Low-impact development (LID) is a comprehensive approach to site planning, design, and pollution prevention strategies that, when combined, create a more economically sustainable and ecologically functional landscape. LID works with nature to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible.
LID treats stormwater as a resource, rather than a waste product, and integrates hydrologic and water quality functions into all aspects of the urban landscape and infrastructure. The result is functional and appealing site drainage that restores the ecological integrity of receiving waters, promotes the natural movement of water within an ecosystem or watershed, and reduces construction, maintenance, and inspection costs.
Examples of LID management approaches and technologies include rain gardens, porous pavements, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting for later use.
While recent studies have evaluated the effectiveness of LID practices in various regions of the United States, there is still a great need to evaluate their performance. There is also very little data on the possible effects of adopting LID at a watershed level.
Return to topProject Description
The goal of this project is to improve the quality of stormwater from a site typical of commercial development in the Upper Trinity and White Rock Lake watersheds. An additional goal is reducing the total and peak flows of stormwater.
The project aims to design, construct, and evaluate several LID practices at the Texas AgriLife Urban Solutions Center in Dallas. These practices will show how LID can be integrated in new developments or retrofitted to existing ones.
Five LID practices will be examined in this project: permeable pavements, bio-retention areas, rainwater harvesting, green roofs, and detention ponds.
Documents
- Project Fact Sheet (updated semi-annually)
For More Information
To find out more about the NPS Program, call 512-239-6682 or e-mail us at nps@tceq.texas.gov.
