trees and the work you do provide multiple benefits emg state conf… · stormwater - draft 2 the...

7/24/2015

JBilotta. Trees as Green Infrastructure for Stormwater - DRAFT 1

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water

Trees, Leaves, Roots, and their

Role in Stormwater Management

Presented by John Bilotta

Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Statewide Conference – June 2015

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management – September 2011

Trees and the work you do provide multiple benefits…

Stormwater Management

Clean WaterHealthy

EcosystemPlant & Protect Pollution

Prevention

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management . JBilotta.2013.Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management – September 2011

What is Green Infrastructure?

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management . JBilotta.2013.

An approach to wet weather

management that combines features

of our NATURAL

ENVIRONMENT…SOILS and

PLANTS…into practices and

technologies that promote infiltration,

evapotranspiration, and the capture

and reuse of stormwater to maintain

or restore natural hydrology.

Green Infrastructure is…• The preservation and

restoration of natural landscape features (such as forests, floodplains and wetlands)

• The use of practices that include trees include rain gardens, porous pavements, green roofs, infiltration planters, and rainwater capture and reuse.


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The Greying of America

Grey

is not a

substitute for green


Natural

Watershed

50%

40%

10%

Typical pre-development conditions:

10

Urban

Watershed

15%

30%

55%

Typical post-development conditions

11 12

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Traditional Stormwater Runoff Management

Collect

Concentrate

Convey

Centralize

13

IMPACT?

14

Why Should we be Concerned?

15

Thermal StressDebris

Toxic Contaminants

Pathogens

Sediment

Nutrients

Increased quantity

Dynamic rate

Decreased quality

Impacts of Stormwater Runoff on Water Quality

Impervious Surfaces

17Source & Credit: D.Berger. MPCA 2009.Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management . JBilotta.2013.

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Source & Credit: D.Berger. MPCA 2009.Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management . JBilotta.2013.



Climate Change• Temperature –warmer winters higher minimum temps

• Precipitation –more, changes in frequency, storm events

• Dew points –higher, tropical

Source: M.Seeley. UM. 2012


Precipitation

• Minneapolis 6.0 to 7.9” (+32%)

• Fargo 5.3 to 6.3 (+19%)

• Large changes over short distances

Source: NOAA and BARR Engineering Draft presentation on Atlas 14. January 2013.


Can we make this…

function like this?

50%10%

25

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Trees & Urban Forest

provide multiple benefits


Trees. A savings for homeowners,

businesses, and government

Save over 20% on annual air conditioning and

up to 8% in heating costs

Aesthetics

Trees. Vital to Community Health.

Tree-filled neighborhoods are more sociable and safer.

Trees. Important to Human Health.

• 100 trees remove 248 lbs of air

pollutants per year

• Lower pediatric asthma rates

• Reduced volatile organic compounds

Healthier environments for us to live and breathe.

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Tree Houses

• Each large front yard tree adds about 1% to sales price

• Large specimen trees can add 10%+ to property values

Tree houses are more valuable and sell faster!bald eagle

Paul Bolstad, University of Minnesota, Bugwood.org

The Birds and the Bees

-

The deer and the leaves

evening grosbeak

Terry Spivey, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org


Cedar Wax Wings

Terry Spivey, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Trees provide critical habitat for birds and

wildlife…and participation in birding is very high!

Trees Mean Better Business.

In tree-lined commercial districts...

• More frequent shopping

• Longer shopping trips

• Shoppers spend more for parking

• Shoppers spend 12% more for goods

Trees create more business!


Trees Pay Us Back.

Benefits = $379,000Energy

Air Quality

Runoff

Real Estate

What 100 large, mature street trees can do ….

Costs = $148,000

Planting

Pruning

Irrigation

Sidewalk Repair

Litter

Legal / Admin

Removal/Disposal

Pay Off: $231,000

Looking for a good ROI ? How about a 250% !Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management – September 2011

Trees. A Stormwater Utility.

• 100 mature trees catch about

139,000 gallons of rainwater per year...

- Less $ for stormwater control

- Cleaner waterGreen Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management – September 2011

• Intercept(slow it

down!)

• Absorb(time –

release)

• Infiltrate(soak it in!)


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The Magic is in the Roots!

Source: Blue Thumb Program and Conservation Research Institute and Heidi Natura

compared to Kentucky Bluegrass

Source: Shutterstock.com

Trees are a growing capital asset

that benefits everyone in the

community.


Plans

PoliciesPractices

Planning

Existing, Possible, and Preferable

Urban Tree Canopy Goals Urban Tree Inventory

• Inventory

• Species, Age

• Assessment

• Goals &

• Plan

• Implementation

• Monitoring

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1. Protection & preservation

2. Tree planting & replacement

3. O & M – operation and maintenance


PoliciesUrban Tree Canopy Goals

• Protection

• Tree

planting

• Quality

care

Implementation Plan

Tree protection

–why save the big

trees?

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management – September 2011 Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management – September 2011

• Vegetative swales

• Urban tree planters

• Riparian buffers

Practices

• Tree Trench


Practices

Graphic design by Barr Engineering for Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District - 2011

Graphic design by Barr Engineering for Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District - 2011

• Tree Trench


Practices

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Trees


Practices

PlansPolicies




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Kimley-Horn Associates Minneapolis/St. Paul


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Trees are a part of our

stormwater system


BUT WAIT !Trees and leaves can be a potential

source of pollution!

Trees, Leaves, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater. Jbilotta 2015.

URBAN VEGETATION AS A SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS TO STORMWATER

Jacques Finlay, Benjamin Janke, Lawrence Baker, Sarah HobbieUniversity of Minnesota

Stormwater runoff: Seasonal signals

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Tota

l P (

mg

L-1)

15 day running mean (Data for five years)

Spring Summer Fall

Autumn peak:Leaf drop

Spring peak:Seeds, buds

Winter disturbance?

Stormwater runoff: spatial relationships

Data from street segments during 4 fall events

And Remember:1 pound of Phosphorus =

500 pounds of algae!

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U of M Project Team:, Lawrence Baker, Paula

Kalinosky, Sarah Hobbie,

Chris Buyarski,

&

Ross BintnerCity of Edina

Enhanced Street Sweeping for Removing Nutrients from Streets

For “high canopy” routes: coarse organics comprised 20% of total solids, 74% of N and 42% of P.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

21-Jun 29-Sep 7-Jan 17-Apr 26-Jul 3-Nov 11-Feb

Coars

e o

rganic

s, a

s %

of

tota

l

High Canopy

Dry solids

Phosphorus

Nitrogen

P removal can be accurately predicted from % tree canopy and frequency of sweeping

R²=0.84

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

AnnualPLoad

,(lbP/curb-m

ile)

PercentTreeCanopyCoverOvertheStreet

1X/mo

2X/mo

4x/mo

Conclusion: Targeted, enhanced street sweeping can be a cost effective way to remove nutrients from streets.

1.Trees are a part of our

stormwater system


2.Trees can mean clean water!

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3.Trees are essential for

healthy ecosystems

4.Preservation and planting of trees

AND preventing pollution from tree

leaves are both critically important.

About NEMO

NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) Program is a

nationally recognized education program for local elected and appointed decision makers addressing the relationship between land

use and natural resource protection.

Northland NEMO is the Minnesota – Wisconsin program led by

the University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Sea Grant with significant support and contributions from a variety of partners

www.northlandnemo.org


Trees, Roots, and their Role in Stormwater Management

By John Bilotta

Phone: 651-480-7708 or 612-624-7708

Email: [email protected]

RESOURCES – Trees & Clean Water• How Trees Can Retain Stormwater Runoff 8pp)• Control Stormwater Runoff with Trees (2pp)• 22 Benefits of Urban Street Trees (6pp)• Trees Tame Stormwater (placemat)• How trees pay us back•…and more

www.northlandnemo.org

Acknowledgements

Content acknowledgment

• Jill Johnson, U.S. Forest Service

Additional slides, pictures, and graphics:

• Kimley-Horn Associates

• Mike Isensee, Dakota SWCD

• Jay Michels, Emmons & Oliver Associates

• Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District

• Northland NEMO Program

• BARR Engineering

• CRWD. RWMWD.

2011 Financial support from:• U of MN Extension

• Minnesota Sea Grant

• Capitol Region Watershed District

• Carver Water Management Organization

• Minnehaha Creek Watershed District

• Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources

• Minnesota Sea Grant

• Mississippi Water Management Organization

• Nine Mile Creek Watershed District

• Rice Creek Watershed District

• Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District

• South Washington Watershed District

• Vadnais Lakes Area Water Management Organization

• Vermillion River Watershed JPO


Green Infrastructure for Clean Water

Trees, Leaves, Roots, and their

Role in Stormwater Management

Presented by John Bilotta

Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Statewide Conference – June 2015

trees and the work you do provide multiple benefits emg state conf… · stormwater - draft 2 the...

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