PROJECT PARNTER(S)
US Navy, Low Impact Development Center

LOCATION
SE Washington DC


GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS
3RG, 3Bs, 3Tb, 3PP

DESCRIPTION
Around the year 2000, the Navy was renovating some of their property at this naval installation near the confluence of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. The site is a contaminated brownfield--it had formerly served to manufacture munitions--so all of the LID applications were lined with PVC and the stormwater, after being treated by the LID process, is discharged to the rivers.

The rain gardens and porous pavers all have 2' of gravel. Soil is a mix of equal parts topsoil, sand and mulch.

PHOTOS AND DRAWINGS


LESSONS LEARNED
The Navy installed these LID elements, in part, due to a lawsuit by Earth Justice relating to the cracked pipes that were speeding pollution into the Anacostia. Currently, due to military spending, maintenance for these elements is sparse. Christa Grigg, environmental manager of the site, noted that new studies had shown that dirt/plants in the openings of pourous pavers may actually perform better in terms of water quality.

Howard University has been monitoring some of the projects and has documented 85-95% removal of TSS. We will try to get that study posted ASAP.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Low Impact Development Center's Webpage about the project