Green Infrastructure – Page 3

The management of stormwater can help mitigate flooding, protect and improve water quality, and help make cities more resilient in the face of climate change. Moreover, effective, nature-based stormwater capture efforts using green infrastructure delivers environmental, social, and economic benefits to a community. The importance and effects of stormwater management can not be overstated. Each positive contribution to dealing with the issue means a step forward in building a healthier community, county, and world.

In it’s recent Stormwater Capture in California Report, the Pacific Institute applauded San Mateo County’s unique collaboration efforts as well as its innovative and pragmatic funding approach as they tackle the issues of stormwater capture and pollution prevention.

20 Cities. One County. A Team Effort.

The San Mateo Water Pollution Prevention Program (SMCWPPP and also know as Flows To Bay) is a partnership of the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG). Established in 1990, SWCWPPP’s primary goal is to reduce the pollution carried by stormwater into local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. As Maryann Moise Derwin, C/CAG Chair put it, “Managing stormwater, both to reduce pollution and the amount of runoff, is a serious issue facing San Mateo County. Not only is it affecting water quality at our beaches, it causes flooding and erosion of coastal areas. We need to manage stormwater as a resource, not a waste, and proactively act as stewards of our naturally beautiful communities in San Mateo County.”

C/CAG already developed a countywide stormwater resource plan and recently received a Caltrans grant to create a Sustainable Streets Master Plan. The master plan aims to prioritize roadways in the county that are prime locations for integrating green infrastructure with other community priorities and planned investments, such as bicycle and pedestrian improvements, pavement maintenance, and utility upgrades. C/CAG also awarded $2.1 million to 10 municipalities for integrating green infrastructure with Safe Routes to Schools improvements. This funding to enhance the safety of intersections and road crossings near schools, while also protecting local waterways from a range of pollutants, came from a voter-aproved local vehicle license fee known as Measure M. This integrated approach addresses transportation and its impact on water quality and supports the cities, towns, and the county in creating local green infrastructure plans to address long-term stormwater issues.

Climate change is happening and its impacts are being seen throughout San Mateo County. With record high temperatures, increasingly intense and less predictable storms, longer periods of drought and rising seas, communities in San Mateo are recognizing the need to take action. Read on to learn more about what risks San Mateo County residents face and and what cities are doing to mitigate the effects of climate change.

How Are Communities in San Mateo County at Risk to Climate Change?

*Green Infrastructure example: City Hall in Brisbane with a bioswale used to filter runoff*

According to the San Mateo County Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment released in 2018 by the Office of Sustainability, our county is the most at-risk to climate change among all counties in the state, and one of the most at-risk in the nation. Globally, the impacts of climate change are well known, including melting ice caps, heat waves, and increased precipitation. Here on the peninsula, communities are particularly at risk to the impacts of sea level rise because many homes, businesses, roads and infrastructure are built right at the edge of the Bay and ocean. In fact, the report found that under long term (50-100 years) conditions, as much as $39.1 billion of property may be at risk to flooding damage. This damage spreads to homes, businesses, critical infrastructure (police stations, hospitals, and schools), as well as regional transportation networks like Highway 101, BART, Caltrain and the San Francisco International Airport.

The study also suggests that increased rain may have additive effects, where runoff during storms may worsen downstream flooding, increase erosion of coastal areas, and carry pollutants that seriously harm water quality. To address the rainwater side of the climate change equation, Flows to Bay and the countywide stormwater program are focusing local efforts to develop green infrastructure plans in the coming year. The building of vegetated stormwater curb extensions and rain gardens are just some examples of nature-based solutions that help reduce flooding, filter stormwater runoff and often offers less expensive alternatives to replacing and upgrading sewer mains or making other improvements to traditional, “gray” infrastructure.

What’s the Plan For Adaptation in San Mateo County Moving Forward?

With the information gathered from the county’s sea level rise vulnerability report, the next steps are to get local planning processes in place to help communities plan for climate adaptation. Part of that work will involve updating and improving local planning policies, but with a challenge as big as climate change, big plans are in order. With newly awarded state funds, the county is now looking broader than just sea level rise. There is a current project in the works to evaluate the risk of other aspects of a changing climate, focusing specifically on potential effects on the transportation network. This work will expand on the vulnerability assessment and also evaluate the possible harm to the transportation network in local communities from more intense storms, extreme heat, fires and flooding.

*Green Infrastructure example: Daly City’s Serramonte Library with stormwater treatment gardens*

Flows to Bay is also happy to announce the countywide stormwater program has been awarded nearly $1 million under the same grant program to develop a sustainable streets master plan for the whole county. “What’s a sustainable streets master plan?” you might ask. Well, in a nutshell, it’s a comprehensive look at all the possible places in the county that could be locations for green stormwater infrastructure and a prioritization process to match those potential sites with community priorities, including bike and pedestrian improvements, ADA sidewalk improvements, safe travel routes to schools, flood prone areas and more. This effort will support the cities, towns and the county in creating green infrastructure plans and it will build on the county’s efforts to address the real hazards of climate change in our region.

To learn more about the county’s sea level rise vulnerability assessment, visit Sea Change San Mateo County. To dig deeper on green infrastructure and related stormwater efforts within San Mateo, check out our other blog post on green infrastructure or visit our Green Streets page! And stay tuned for more about how San Mateo County is getting climate change-ready.

With last year’s unusually wet winter and the next rainy season approaching, green infrastructure will be more important than ever in California. Local governments, especially in the Bay Area, are making great efforts to implement green infrastructure in their cities. Read on to learn more about green infrastructure and how to see if there’s green infrastructure in your city!

First, what is green infrastructure and why is it important? Green infrastructure is an approach to city and street planning that allows stormwater (water that washes off streets, driveways, yards, etc., picking up pollutants and flowing directly into the Bay and ocean) to be absorbed and filtered by soil and plants. Stormwater runoff is one of the largest contributors to water pollution and is mainly caused by pollutants washing off the many impervious surfaces in our urbanized areas, especially roads and parking lots. Green infrastructure provides cities with an opportunity to integrate more “green” into their communities and fight urban water pollution, a win-win scenario for everyone! Implementing green infrastructure is also an important step to help combat climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency has listed several ways green infrastructure improves resiliency for environmental change in cities:

Managing floods by absorbing rainwater, which cement and concrete aren’t able to do
Preparing for droughts by utilizing rain gardens and green streets to infiltrate rainwater and replenish local groundwater supplies
Reducing the urban heat island effect (when an urban area is significantly warmer than surrounding areas) by increased trees and shading
Lowering building energy demands
Spending less energy on water management
Protecting coastal areas with natural landscapes

Now that you know why green infrastructure projects are so important, here are some common types of green infrastructure that you can find in your community:

Rain Gardens: These are small gardens that capture and filter stormwater in shallow, plant-filled depressions.
Bioretention Areas: These areas are usually larger than rain gardens, but also filter stormwater and are often designed to send the clean stormwater back to the storm drain system.
Vegetated/Dry Swales: Swales are natural drainage paths that convey runoff and allow stormwater to filter through vegetation and soil. They often run along streets and sidewalks.
Green Roofs: Green roofs are vegetation installed on roof tops that catch and reduce the amount of rainfall that reaches the streets.
Porous Pavements: These are pavements made out of porous material (like pervious concrete, and porous asphalt) that allow rainwater to soak through the pavement.

Click here to learn more about the above forms of green infrastructure, or visit our Green Streets page to learn about green infrastructure in San Mateo County.

For more information on green infrastructure and its benefits, visit the EPA website on green infrastructure. Next time you’re on a walk in your neighborhood, take a look around. You might be surprised at what types of green infrastructure you’ll find!

Results are in from the first San Mateo Countywide FlowsToBay High School Green Infrastructure Contest. This contest was open to high school students and probed them to learn about stormwater pollution and green infrastructure solutions through creating a green infrastructure proposal for their high school campus, which addressed a specific environmental or water quality issue that affects their school community.

The winning proposal was submitted by four students in Ms. Stephanie Owens’ Biology and Environmental Science class at Menlo-Atherton High School. Students Alondra, Danny, Kate and Kevin’s proposal offered a solution to the excessive flooding in the parking lot that makes student pick-up treacherous during the rainy season. Their design focused on replacing the impervious and slick asphalt throughout the parking lot with permeable pavement, which would allow stormwater to infiltrate into the underlying soils, promoting pollutant treatment and groundwater recharge as well as preventing unnecessary slippage and flooding that has inconvenienced the students. This project demonstrates a primary goal of green infrastructure – to reduce the amount of impervious surfaces in our landscape and to allow more rainwater to soak back into the ground rather than flush pollutants from streets into local waterways as it channels through gutters and pipes. The students also included a plan to place posters around the campus and near the affected areas to educate their classmates about permeable pavement, its purpose, and long term benefits. The second place winners were from Carlmont High School in Belmont with teacher Ms. Veronica Heintz.

As the environmental challenges we face continue to increase in scope and severity, it will be up to our younger generation of students and scientists to devise innovative solutions to tackle these problems that affect the health and well-being of us all. Through thinking globally about these interconnected environmental challenges and smarter ways to address them, we can act locally to enact change in our schools, homes, and communities.

Even with recent record rainfalls, Californians suffering through the drought have come to understand that water is a precious resource. There are many small ways to make your home more water friendly here in the San Mateo area. You can also save money by cutting back your monthly water bill.

1. Rain barrels

When the rain comes, collect it. Just one inch of rain on an average roof can equate to 625 gallons of water that will take its course through a vast network of pipes and channels, eventually draining untreated to the Bay. But did you know you can actually save that rainwater and use it for watering your garden before it goes down the drain? Rain barrels can help put rainwater to good use, lighten your water footprint and even reduce flooding. San Mateo residents who buy and install qualifying rain barrels can collect rebates of up to $100 per barrel. Learn more about installation, upkeep and rebate information here: rain barrels.

2. Faucet fixes

A leaky faucet that drips just five times within a minute may be wasting more than 200 gallons of water a year. A quick repair to stop the dripping can help conserve that water. It is also possible to save as much as 70 gallons per month by adding water-saving faucet aerators.

3. Update the washer

Older top-loading machines use 40 gallons of water for a full load of laundry. A high-efficiency washer may use half the water and energy of traditional washers. Update to a high-efficiency model and a rebate may be available through Cal Water. Check for rebates here.

4. Rip up the lawn

Shut off the sprinkler and remove the grass on your property. Replace it with a drought-tolerant landscape. Not sure how to do that? It’s easier than you might think. Attend a free water-efficient landscape class offered by the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency.

5. Permeable Pavements

One of the best ways to reduce runoff is to direct it into the ground. There, it can be filtered by plants or soil instead of running onto sidewalks, streets and into storm drains. Water is absorbed by the plants and trees. Learn more about permeable landscaping here.

Conserving water can save money and the environment. Take one action this week to make your home more water-friendly!

New Crosswalk and Vegetated Curb Extension near Laurel Elementary School (photo: Kevin Robert Perry)

Nestled within the city of San Mateo, Laurel Elementary School has solved two pressing problems in one purposeful project: enhanced safety for students and environmental protection.

Rather than finding separate solutions to the pressing issues of stormwater pollution and traffic safety, the San Mateo-Foster City School District, the City of San Mateo, and the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program created a project that built upon the Safe Routes to School program that encourages children to walk or bike to school by removing barriers that prevent them from doing so and strategically integrated “green infrastructure” to manage wet weather and prevent flooding near the school.

More specifically, the school supported the Safe Routes to School program by separating pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle paths thus protecting children on their way to and from school. These safety improvements were combined with green infrastructure, an approach to water management that mimics the natural water cycle in ways like using areas with plants, rocks or gravel to allow rain water to absorb into the ground instead of that water flowing solely to storm drains.

This melding of stormwater management, which reduces pollutants entering the San Francisco Bay and other local waterways, and children’s safety as top priorities is accomplished in various other ways:

The revamped parking lot features a one-way drop-off/pick up lane with rain gardens and special planters that capture, infiltrate, and treat parking lot runoff.
Strategic curb extensions with plants at crosswalk locations, including a new mid-block crosswalk, not only treat stormwater runoff by capturing pollutants such as oil, vehicle fluids and trash, but also help reduce street crossing distances for students while helping drivers see pedestrians crossing the street.
An upgraded school entrance with new bike racks, designated walking/waiting zones for students, handicapped-accessible curb ramps and a rain garden for treating roof runoff from an adjacent building.

Overall, this project represents a robust sustainable urban development approach that benefits both the school and surrounding community and demonstrates how we can successfully integrate Safe Routes to School and stormwater management.

If you would like to learn more about projects like these in SMC, click here.

Matt Fabry, Manager of the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program, knows how to make a garden grow—plant a seed.

In 2009 he did just that. Facing rising concern over polluted stormwater running into local waterways, the Countywide Program joined forces with Portland, Oregon-based landscape architects Nevue Ngan Associates to publish the San Mateo County Sustainable Green Streets and Parking Lots Design Guidebook.

The guide illustrates how to create green streets and parking lots lined with a variety of plants and rock beds called rain gardens. When planted alongside streets and parking lots, the rain gardens act as living catch basins that can manage stormwater in a more sustainable and natural way. The plants, soil, and rocks absorb water and filter toxic urban contaminants like mercury and PCBs that normally would wash into storm drains and out into the Bay or ocean during rain storms.

Today the Countywide Program’s effort has expanded, giving rise to green streets and parking lots in Brisbane, San Bruno, Daly City, and Burlingame. The innovative and comprehensive guidebook has received three awards from the American Planning Association and American Society of Landscape Architects, which recognize top public spaces, residential designs, campuses, parks, and urban planning projects.

And the rain gardens themselves have blossomed as a solution to more than just water quality. “Through strategic placement of these green systems, we can calm traffic, improve air quality, increase pedestrian safety, improve neighborhood aesthetics, and even increase neighboring property values,” Fabry says.

Five Ways to Green Your Street

The San Mateo County Sustainable Green Streets and Parking Lots Design Guidebook serves as a resource for municipalities, landscapers, and developers looking to create cost-efficient, attractive roadside and parking environments that connect urban dwellers to nature. But there are simple ways San Mateo County residents can help take ownership over their streets and reduce stormwater pollution that enters the Bay and ocean.

Wash your car on a lawn or gravel. Or take it to a local car wash instead. Send an email to info@flowstobay.org to receive a discount coupon, valid at more than 12 car washes in San Mateo County.
Don’t hose down your driveway; keep it clean using a broom instead.
Pick up and discard your dog’s waste. Send an email to info@flowstobay.org for a free set of doggie bags.
Never apply pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides where they can be washed into a storm drain. Consider less toxic options, which are healthier for you and the environment. Visit www.ourwaterourworld.org for ideas.
Ask your local elected official to install a rain garden on your street!

Local Green Streets

Want to see what a green street or parking lot looks like in action? Check out one of these four sites around the County.