DEVELOPING STORMWATER DESIGNS 2022-2023

Woodard and Curran, December 2021, Stormwater Attenuation and Source Reduction Study

In December 2021, FOGHP partnered with the Town of South Kingstown to seek a federal grant from the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) to help fund the final design and permitting of stormwater solutions for four high priority sites in addition to conducting targeted public outreach. In January 2022, we were awarded the full $99,000 requested. With the addition of $33,000 in matching funds split between the Town and FGHP, the total project cost is $132,000. Woodard and Curran was contracted to continue its design work on four stormwater retrofit sites as well as providing support for public outreach and 10 residential bioretention designs. One potential retrofit design is the Gravel Wet Vegetated Treatment System shown above.

Much of 2022 was taken up by the unexpectedly long process of developing and reviewing a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) by both NBEP and EPA. By late 2022, design work could continue with field work by a wetland biologist and surveyor. Final designs and permits are expected to be completed by late 2023.

Meanwhile, FGHP will be working with Woodard and Curran to identify up to 10 homeowners who would be interested in having residential designs completed for naturalized bioretention methods on their property for free. Implementation will be at the owner’s expense. One type of bioretention method is a rain garden. Rain gardens recreate the natural function of the land, which includes capturing rainwater, filtering out pollutants, and recharging groundwater. They can be constructed as simply as digging a shallow depression and filling it with native plants and soil amended with sand, as shown in the diagram below.