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Leading the Way Toward Sustainable Stormwater 

By Oliver Gaffney, Site Systems, Inc.

For visitors to Old Mine Park in Trumbull, Connecticut, exposure to new methods of stormwater management changes the expectation of what rainwater infrastructure should look like. After public debate, a more ecologically-friendly solution was considered and ultimately prevailed. 
Photo Courtesy of Donald Watson, FAIA

The original pond dredging restoration plan for Old Mine Park in Trumbull, Connecticut called for putting back mowed lawn right down to the water’s edge. Conspicuously missing, however, was any attempt to address the flow of polluted runoff and eroded sediments sheeting off the parking areas and entering the adjacent Pequonnock River.

Landscape architecture firm Site Systems, Inc., working in conjunction with the local conservation commission, volunteered its office time and resources to develop a comprehensive plan addressing the site’s erosion and runoff issues. 

Recognized with a 2014 Design Merit Award from Connecticut Chapter ASLA, the redesigned landscape emphasized low-impact development and stormwater management practices. The plan protected water quality, reduced the impacts of erosion and flooding and created important habitat for birds and cool-water fish. Participation in community outreach projects emphasizing new approaches to nonpoint source pollution represents an incredible opportunity for the profession. Public interest in sustainable design has never been higher, and the need has never been greater. It’s time for landscape architects to take charge and influence how stormwater is managed in our communities.

Volunteers of all ages planted almost 500 native shrubs and perennials at Old Mine Park. This sediment basin provided much needed stormwater retention capacity to mitigate downstream flooding. 
Photo Courtesy of Save the Sound

Because the site had been identified as a potential pilot project by the Pequonnock River Initiative watershed study, it was eligible for funding through the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program. These federally-funded grants are available for work that supports public outreach, training, pilot projects, monitoring, and other activities that contribute to controlling nonpoint source pollution. In addition to their functional aspects, the new sediment basin and riparian buffers serve as educational tools as well. 

The Connecticut Fund for the Environment, through its Save the Sound program, coordinated the grant and worked with the firm to oversee the installation of the native riparian buffer and stormwater sediment basin by the town. 

Among the many volunteers who showed up to help was Connecticut State Representative Tony Hwang. “The Pequonnock River runs through Monroe, Trumbull and Bridgeport, and all three communities are working together to ensure its security,” said Hwang. “By working together on projects like this, we can make sure it's here for our children.”