Prairie Rivers and Developer Infiltrate Stormwater Together!

by Stacy James, Water Resources Scientist

When rain falls and snow melts, the resulting stormwater runoff eventually winds up in rivers and lakes. As stormwater travels, it picks up trash, pesticides, and other pollutants that then contaminate Illinois’ waterways. Urban stormwater isn’t just dirty, there’s a lot of it! In highly developed areas, more than half of precipitation becomes runoff because it cannot soak into the pavement and roads that cover most of the ground. This leads to an unnaturally high influx of water into rivers and lakes, causing flooding, eroding shorelines and streambanks, and property damage. Subsequently, most urban waterways are not very healthy.

BEFORE: Grassy swale behind Chesterbrook Academy

At PRN, we are working to promote development that keeps most precipitation on site instead of sending it to the nearest storm drain. Stormwater management practices such as porous pavement, rain gardens, and green roofs are among the many options available; collectively, these practices are known as “green infrastructure.” Our advocacy work really becomes fun when we move beyond meetings or mailings and into implementation. Fortunately, Fox Development Corporation of Champaign asked us for help on two projects where the green infrastructure approach would not only improve on-site water permeability, but aesthetics as well! Of course, we couldn’t say “no” to our landlord! Indeed, we welcomed the opportunity to work with a progressive company that values open space and manages many properties in Champaign County.

AFTER: Bioswale in bloom

The first project we tackled was a grassy swale behind Chesterbrook Academy at the University of Illinois Research Park. The swale collects water from a nearby street and parking lot, but the occasional presence of standing water damaged underlying grass and made mowing difficult. As a solution, the grass was removed and the soil was blended with compost to increase water infiltration. Gravel was then placed over the soil. Moisture-loving, native, flowering plant species were planted on the west slope of the swale, to help soak up the stormwater and provide colorful wildlife habitat. In the year since the project was completed, this bioswale has become well-established with healthy plants and the area no longer needs to be mowed.

The second project took place at the I Hotel and Conference Center. The 2-acre detention basin was a big, square hole in the ground: weedy and unattractive. To make this an amenity instead of an eyesore for guests, the area was planted with native species that tolerate occasional inundation with stormwater. The ecological services firm JFNew prepared the soil and did the seeding earlier this year. Additional, eye-catching vegetative features were added to the basin’s slopes, and an observation deck provides a place to hang out and bird watch. Some of the funding for this project came from the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Practices Program, via a grant to Prairie Rivers Network that was administered by the Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District.

We thank Fox Development Corporation for being a local leader in green infrastructure and daring to do what most are afraid to try. We hope these projects will serve as models for the community, with other developers following suit. Green infrastructure can be a very cost-effective way of managing stormwater, while providing recreational, aesthetic, and wildlife benefits that improve our quality of life.