Successful Maintenance of Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management: Staten Island Bluebelt
Authors:
- James Garin, P.E., and James Rossi - New York City Department of Environmental Protection
- Sandeep Mehrotra, P.E., and Tiffany Bright - Hazen and Sawyer
The innovative application of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) and green infrastructure has become an established stormwater management approach across the nation (Weiss et al. 2007), deriving from the focus on sustainable solutions. Optimally designed BMPs are cost-effective and easy to implement, providing flood control, improved water quality and aesthetic benefits. However, compared to the conventional pipe-based stormwater facilities, BMPs are much more maintenance-intensive and their performance is dependent on the level of maintenance. The Bluebelt Program provides evidence that successful design and maintenance of stormwater BMPs ensures flood protection and improves water quality. Successful maintenance can be achieved by considering maintenance issues when designing the BMP, creating maintenance cards, involving and educating the community and evaluating all available tools to successfully handle the maintenance needs. Properly maintaining all the Bluebelt’s BMPs allows for the continued success of Staten Island’s large-scale green stormwater management system.
