Title: Improving and Conserving Water Resources through Stormwater Management Education for Community Decision Makers of Today and Tomorrow
Abstract: Traditional approaches treat stormwater as a problem to be conveyed away as rapidly as possible with curbs, gutters, storm drains, culverts, and similar grey infrastructure practices. The new paradigm views stormwater as a resource to be retained and used onsite or allowed to infiltrate. Green infrastructure such as rain gardens, bioswales, eco roofs, rain barrels, and others manage stormwater more naturally, conserve water, and improve water quality by retaining and infiltrating runoff that may contain multiple contaminants. The goal of this integrated project which was funded in 2009 is to conserve water resources and improve water quality through an integrated approach to stormwater management and greenspace practice education that strongly connects extension programming, classroom education, and field research. Audiences include municipal leaders and residents, 4-H and youth, undergraduate and graduate students, landscape industry professionals, and Master Gardeners. Objectives include: deliver a multi-faceted extension education program, focused in the Platte River watershed, using a variety of techniques such as hands-on workshops, green infrastructure tours, demonstration sites, publications, and on-line resources; integrate stormwater management and green infrastructure topics into undergraduate courses and service learning projects; and evaluate in situ rain garden hydrologic parameters using a unique Storm Runoff Simulator. Anticipated impacts include: audience recognition of the environmental, economic, and aesthetic benefits of green infrastructure; increased ability of graduates to design innovative stormwater management solutions; improved rain garden designs; and improved water quality and conservation. This project helps meet the education and outreach goals of the EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System stormwater program for Phase II communities, and contains elements of six National Water Program Themes. This proposed poster will highlight project objectives, methods, etc.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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