By Amelia Rousseau
As citizens of Fairview TN, the Loblolly Pine Alliance is increasingly concerned about the negative impacts of stormwater run-off in our community due to increased residential development and the continued addition of impervious surfaces in our community. Impervious surfaces are characterized as any type of surface that does not allow for rainwater to soak or infiltrate into the ground, such as concrete and rooftops. Stormwater runoff can have many negative effects on our community including; increased stormwater velocities that lead to flooding and property damage, as well as pollution of the watershed caused by erosion, sedimentation, and surface pollutants.
Luckily there are easy ways to mitigate these negative effects of stormwater runoff with green infrastructure. Basically, green infrastructure filters and absorbs stormwater where it falls rather than relying on it to run-off into the sewer and eventually into our watersheds. Green infrastructure impacts the physical environment by decreasing impervious surfaces and by increasing permeable surfaces that help redirect stormwater runoff in a sustainable manner. Green infrastructure has been implemented in many surrounding cities such as Franklin, and Nashville. We believe it is time for Fairview to follow suit. Green infrastructure can also be very visually appealing by adding more green space and natural areas to the community.
Two examples of green infrastructure already in use nearby in communities of Nashville and Franklin include:
Permeable Pavement
Permeable pavement allows stormwater to pass through spaces in the paved surface and allows it to infiltrate into the natural ground below. Permeable pavements may be constructed of four basic material types: porous asphalt; porous concrete; interlocking paver blocks; and plastic grids. Permeable pavements simultaneously serve as hardscape and as stormwater infrastructure, and are therefore especially practical where space constraints preclude the use of other green infrastructure practices.
Bioinfiltration / Rain Gardens / Bioretention
Bioinfiltration cells, also known as bioretention or rain gardens, are vegetated depressions that store and filter stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. Uptake by plants reduces runoff volume and pollutant concentrations. The use of Bioinfiltration for stormwater management is ideal for median strips, parking lot islands, and swales. Bioinfiltration provides storage and filtration capacity to surrounding soils, as well as plant uptake and evapotranspiration. Bioinfiltration is among the best green infrastructure practices for stormwater quality control, taking advantage of both physical and biological removal pathways for stormwater runoff.
Other examples of green infrastructure include: downspout disconnection, rainwater harvesting, planter boxes, bioswales, green streets and alleys, green parking, green roofs, urban tree canopy, and land conservation.
Green infrastructure also has positive social, economic, and environmental impacts on the surrounding community. Check out the following chart published by the EPA that highlights the many social, economic, health, and environmental benefits of green infrastructure.
Learn more about green infrastructure from the EPA: EPA Green Infrastructure Benefits
Example of green infrastructure from Hill Center in Belle Meade
Example of green infrastructure from 28th Ave in Nashville .
We would like to see Fairview implement more sustainable development practices when approving plans for new developments in our community. Green infrastructure will have positive social, economic, and environmental benefits for the entire community now and in the future. We believe that green infrastructure would have positive impacts on effectively controlling stormwater compared to the traditional development that has thus far proven to have negative impacts on our community.
Join us in our fight for thoughtful, responsible, and sustainable development in Fairview. Let your elected officials know that you would like to see a more thoughtful approach including more green infrastructure implemented to protect what we love about our community.
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