biohabitats, inc

Restoring the future

From the streams to the Bay

Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance & Floating Wetlands

Keith Bowers, President

www.biohabitats.com

Restoring the future

drivers:

Growth

Restoring the future

drivers:

Changes in land cover

Restoring the future

effects:

Disproportionate impacts on headwater streams – stormwater dominated

Andrew J. Elmore and Sujay S. Kaushal, Front Ecol Environ 2008; 6(6):308-312, doi:10.1890/070101

Disappearing Headwaters: Patterns of Stream Burial Due to Urbanization

Restoring the future

effects:

Loss of stream base flow, riparian wetlands, groundwater recharge and flood attenuation

Restoring the future

effects:

Erosion and transport of nutrient-rich legacy sediments to the coastal plain and coastal waters

Restoring the future

effects:

degradation and loss of habitat –species - biodiversity

6th Great Extinction- Holocene Extinction

Restoring the future

Living Systems applications =

Whole Systems thinking for…

regenerative design

Restoring the future

convergence:

of research, ideas and implications

– Walter and Merrits (2008) in Science (319) support idea that pre-colonial streams in eastern North America were small shallow flow paths frequently connected to their wetland floodplain, not bankfull channels containing range of flows moving coarse sediment (current form result of adjustment to recent land use)

– Craig et al. (2008) in Frontiers in Ecology (6) documents that close connection between the stream and floodplain, carbon-rich sediment, and an aggraditional/ depositional character contribute to effective nitrogen processing

– Disappearance of headwater streams due to urbanization and agriculture vs. recent research demonstrating the ecological importance of ephemeral and 1st order streams

– Correlation of impervious surface to stream health and integrity (physical, biological, chemical)

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Project Cost Benefits ValueWilelinor $750,000 4.6 acres of

wetland restoration

$803,000

2,000 LF of stream restoration

$300,000

3 acres of reforestation

$225,000

200,000 cf of water storage

$2 million

Total $750,000 $3,328,000

Cost/Benefit ratio: 1:4.4*Value is calculated based on a conventional cost of: $175k/acre wetland; $150 lf/stream; $75k/acre of reforestation; and, $10 cf of water storage.

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative stormwater conveyance

Water Quantity

Water Quality

Ecological Processes

Reduced construction and O&M costs

Community engagement, aesthetic improvements

Life-giving

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Pollutant

Projected Removal

BOD 3,000

mg/day/ft2

Nitrogen 759 mg/day/ft2

Phosphorus 106 mg/day/ft2

Metals ?Franks et al. 2008. Floating islands as an alternative to constructed wetlands for treatment of excess nutrients from agricultural and municipal wastes – results of laboratory-scale tests.

Source: www.watergarden.com

Restoring the future

enablers:

floating wetlands

Recycling

Water Quality

Aquatic Habitat

Nutrient Uptake

Community engagement, aesthetic improvements

Life-giving

Restoring the future

enablers:

regenerative

Place based

Whole

Connect

Resilient

Life-giving