Brownfield site, the former Al Tech Steel plant (DEC Site record, Al Tech Specialty Steel, Site

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1 1. Problem: The Kromma Kill stream channel, which begins on our college s campus and flows east to the Hudson River, is prone to flooding and other water quality issues. Flooding is the most severe in the downstream Village of Menands and in the Albany Rural Cemetery where stream bank erosion has brought about the need to relocate gravesites and more recently, caused a road to collapse. Members of the local community have expressed concern that much of the stormwater runoff that causes this flooding originates on the College campus. Most notably, our college is cited as the likely source of flooding and water quality issues in a 2004 Town of Colonie Stormwater Management Report i. Adding to water quality issues within the watershed, a Brownfield site, the former Al Tech Steel plant (DEC Site record, Al Tech Specialty Steel, Site Code ) is located along the Kromma Kill. The 2004 Town of Colonie Stormwater Management Report indicates that PCBs have been detected in sediment downstream of the Brownfield site ii. Increased stormwater runoff generated upstream could potentially exacerbate PCB loading to the Hudson River. Water quality and quantity issues have landed the Kromma Kill watershed on the New York State 303d Waterbody Inventory/ Priority Waterbodies list, making it a priority watershed for Albany County and the focus of targeted work related to implementing MS4 Permit requirements. 2. Project Summary/Background: To address stormwater runoff on campus, the student team is designing a rain garden that will be constructed on campus in order to mitigate stormwater runoff from target areas. A rain garden is a landscaped depression in the ground that is designed to collect rainwater from roofs, driveways, parking areas, or other hard surfaces, thereby reducing the amount of contaminated runoff entering local waterways. 1

2 The implementation of the rain garden on campus will hopefully increase awareness of environmental problems, specifically those related to stormwater, that impact the College campus and greater Kromma Kill community. While the Environmental Club hosts awareness events like Campus Sustainability Day there still seems to be a lack of understanding of one s individual impact on the environment. For example, a campus wetland is regularly filled with beer cans, plastic cups, and other trash. Much of this trash is thrown in the wetland on purpose. For example, one group member recently witnessed a fellow student throw an entire trash can into the wetland. Ultimately this trash flows downstream, impacting our neighbors in the Kromma Kill watershed. Furthermore, what innovative environmental measures the College does implement are often unknown to the rest of the community. For example, the College utilizes porous pavement on some parts of campus, a fact that is unknown to much of the campus community (see results of a student survey, below). The visibility of the rain garden (and its accompanying interpretive/educational signage) and involvement of students in the design and construction of the garden could be an effective way to increase awareness of community stormwater issues. The objectives of this project are summarized as follows: (1) Reduce the volume of stormwater and pollutants entering the Kromma Kill stream channel. (2) Implement a solution on campus that is designed and completed by students. (3) Increase awareness of environmental problems, specifically those related to stormwater, that impact the College campus and greater Kromma Kill community and what can be done combat those problems. A rain garden was chosen as stormwater mitigation solution on campus because it is relatively inexpensive to implement and can be constructed by students. Although rain gardens have been implemented elsewhere, the innovation of this project is that it will be the first project 2

3 initiated by students to solve a community environmental issue and used as a tool to educate the College community. There are numerous studies iii,iv,v that have shown rain gardens to be an effective way to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff entering a stream channel. Furthermore, there is a large amount of literature available to provide guidance on how to design and construct rain gardens. However, we relied heavily on materials provided by the Cornell University Cooperative Extension since they are the primary resource in the local area for rain garden construction and design. 3. Relationship to Sustainability: Despite the administration and faculty s efforts to implement sustainability initiatives, this project stands at the forefront of student pioneered sustainable efforts on campus. Students have been given little opportunity to participate in the shaping of the sustainability applications on campus aside from personal waste management choices. Faculty and students alike are eager for sustainability issues to be addressed and are excited to be participants in this growing movement. The social benefits for the College are motivating and both aesthetically and psychologically gratifying. The proposed project would be a visible aspect of the College community and benefit students in providing a tangible example of a sustainable initiative that the College has embraced. One of our most substantial concerns on campus is the dire need for a culture change initiative through student awareness of sustainability. A rain garden enhances the aesthetics of the campus and can serve as a teaching tool for students exemplifying how the diversity of sustainability, such as sustainable landscaping, could prove extremely valuable to this culture change initiative. 3

4 The location and function of the rain garden will maximize the amount of water retained while minimizing our runoff contribution to the Kromma Kill and the surrounding community. The rain garden will not only impact water quantity issues, but water quality issues by reducing pollutant loading to the Kromma Kill and creating a great potential for water purification through natural filtration. 4. Materials and Methods: The following table describes the work performed and the status of each task. Task Methods Status Determine the location of the rain garden Determine rain garden size, plant composition, and plant layout Perform technical, economic, and social benefit analyses When looking for an area we took the following into consideration vi : Sun exposure Visibility Direction and flow of rainfall Position from underground structures and buildings Area can support swale Overflow capability Impact to natural drainage properties Ideal soil characteristics (sandy loam) We met with a representative from the Cornell Cooperative Extension for guidance on choosing a location. The size of the rain garden can be determined from literature from the Cornell Cooperative Extension vii. We have modeled the layout and design our rain garden after a successful garden built in a nearby town. The design for this garden was provided by the Cornell Cooperative Extension viii. The reduction in the volume of campus runoff and pollutant loading was estimated using design specs and annual rainfall amounts from the area and pollutant estimates from available literature. The capital and maintenance costs were estimated and compared to comparable stormwater management strategies using We are currently working with the College Facilities Department to finalize the location of the rain garden. While our objectives are technical soundness and visibility, some of our initial proposed sites were unsuitable due to College operations constraints. We have narrowed down the choice to two potential locations (see map below). The size, design and layout will be finalized once the location is finalized. Preliminary results are below. We will need to finalize the results once the size and design is finalized. 4

5 Obtain plants and other landscaping materials and gardening supplies Design and print interpretive sign Construct rain garden Post-project: the design specs and available literature. The benefit to campus was estimated using a social survey Native plants and other landscaping supplies are being purchased from local nurseries and landscaping suppliers. The faculty advisor and College Facilities Department will be providing garden supplies such as shovels, wheelbarrows, etc. An interpretive sign is currently being designed with the help of a College faculty member who is an expert in environmental interpretation. We ve identified a printing company and obtained a cost estimate The team members and volunteers from the Environmental Club will construct the garden Some plants and garden supplies have been purchased. Others will be purchased as they become available (typically mid-april). Ongoing April 21, 2013 has been set as the construction date. April 22 is our Earth Day debut to the entire campus. The Environmental Club will be giving rain garden tours and interpretive discussions. The effectiveness of the rain garden after construction will be determined through longterm hydrological monitoring. The increase in campus awareness of sustainability issues, particularly those pertaining to stormwater issues, will be determined through social surveys. The below tables list the team members and their roles as well as others who have assisted us with this project. Team member Student #1: Team Leader Roles As President of the Environmental Club, recruit and organize volunteers Facilitate and participate in rain garden installation Perform campus wide social survey Design interpretive sign Students #2-4 Spatial analyze and map affected areas and potential rain garden locations Facilitate and participate in rain garden installation 5

6 Student/facilities liaison Perform economic and technical analyses Rain garden design Faculty Advisor Serve as faculty/facilities liaison Serve as faculty/kromma Kill community liaison Assist with evaluation and assessment Perform hydrological monitoring Purchase plants and landscaping materials Administer post-survey Partners College Facilities Department Associate Dean of the School of Science Student volunteers Town of Colonie and Village of Menands Stormwater Departments Cornell Cooperative Extension and Stormwater Coordinator of Albany County Interactions Collaborate with facilities in order to appoint the most efficient location and design. Facilities has agreed to provide gardening tools and mulch for annual maintenance. The Associate Dean of the School of Science is also the Environmental Studies Department Head. S/he has and will help facilitate communication between the student group and the President, Administration, and Board of Trustees. Student volunteers will help construct the rain garden and participate in a campus-wide Earth Day event. These watershed entities have been made aware of the project at all phases. These organizations and individuals have provided resources, technical and other types of guidance as well as feedback on our design. 5. Results: With the resistance toward positive change through sustainability at Siena College, this project is a breakthrough example of how green infrastructure can and will benefit the college community. The rain garden will be located within a short distance of the Kromma Kill stream channel on campus, therefore alleviating excess runoff that would enter it. An interpretive sign will be placed by the garden to explain its purpose, and draw attention to the garden. The 6

7 stormwater issues here have impacted the community throughout the Kromma Kill watershed. In addition to reducing stormwater runoff, this project will also serve as an example of a studentbased initiative and set a precedent for future students at our college. Evaluation metrics. The evaluation metrics of this project include the following: 1. Reduction in annual runoff volume (based on design estimates) 2. Reduction in total annual pollutant load (based on pollutant types and quantities present on campus, values from the literature) 3. Increase in awareness by the Siena Community of environmental and stormwater issues (determined from pre- and post-social surveys) Results of environmental analysis. We have not yet finalized the location of the rain garden, but have narrowed it down to two potential locations (see map below). The average annual rainfall at the Albany International Airport (3 miles from campus) is inches according to the National Weather Service ix. The fist site would drain an area of 1074 ft 2. If we multiply this by in, we get a reduction in annual stormwater runoff of 3521 ft 3. For site two, an area of 713 ft 2 would be drained for a total reduction in annual stormwater runoff of 2338 ft 3. (The campus contains a total of 37.4 acres or 1,630,000 ft 2 of impervious surfaces for an estimated total annual runoff volume of 5,340,000 ft ft 3. and 2338 ft 3. are 0.215% and 0.142% of this value, respectively.) 7

8 According to the College Stormwater Study, the pollutants of concern for the College include total suspended solids (TSS); total phosphorus (TP); total nitrogen (TN); lead (Pb); copper (Cu); zinc (Zn); oil, grease, petroleum products (Oil); and pollutants that affect Biological oxygen demand (BOD) x. However, because our rain garden would be collecting runoff from a rooftop and turf, the main pollutant reductions would be for TSS, TP, and TN. The annual pollutant loading for the campus for TSS is 77,053 lbs/year, for TP is 256 lbs/year, and for TN is 1900 lbs/year. We can estimate that the weight of pollutant reduction will be proportional to the reduction in volume of stormwater. Thus for site one TSS, TP, and TN will be reduced by 166, 0.553, and 4.10 lbs/year, respectively. For site two the reductions would be 110, 0.367, and 2.72 lbs/year, respectively. Social survey results. Regardless of current behavior (such as throwing trash into our wetland), students are eager for green, sustainability projects for campus. According to a social survey of 72 students, when students were asked: Do you think Siena should be investing in sustainable alternative energy on campus, like wind turbines or solar panels? 85% said yes Do you think green infrastructure would add value to Siena s campus? 75% said yes Would you be willing to pay a small green donation, if it were used to create on-campus green infrastructure, or green sustainable design? 58% said yes, 32% unsure Unfortunately, though green technologies are being used on campus, students do not know about them. When asked: Did you know there is porous pavement on Siena's campus? 8% said yes Interpretive signs are essential to promote the value of sustainable infrastructure and can be used to increase awareness of sustainability projects on campus. These elements are important to 8

9 increase awareness of stormwater management and its benefits to the community. A post-project survey will be distributed to assess students increased awareness of campus sustainability. Economic analysis results. Economically, this project will help alleviate quite a few costs for the College. The capital and labor costs required to clear flooded areas will be avoided by the installation of a successful rain garden. Additionally, students will be constructing and managing the rain garden, therefore eliminating any maintenance costs. Thus with funding from the NYSP2I, the capital and maintenance costs for the College for the rain garden are $0. Installing a rain garden is much more economically feasible than other stormwater management techniques that could be implemented. Below is a table displaying the costs for other stormwater reduction techniques for the rain garden area. Location Area (ft 2 ) Green Roof Capital Cost: $20 per ft 2 xi Green Roof Maintenance Cost: $ per ft 2 per year xii : Site 1 1,074 $21,480 $1,611 $37,590 Site $14,260 $1,070 $24,955 Total max. cost for a 10 year period Location Area (ft 2 ) Porous Pavement Capital Cost: $7 - $15 per ft 2 xiiii Porous Pavement Maintenance Cost: $ per ft 2 per year xiv Total max. cost for a 10 year period Site 1 1,074 $16,110 $21 $16,325 Site $10,695 $14 $10,838 Transferability/scalability. Although a single rain garden will not solve all of the stormwater issues on campus (see environmental analysis results above), we hope that this project can serve as a demonstration project. Hopefully the College administration will be convinced that these smaller-scale projects are both effective and feasible and that with student participation, can be a used as a high-impact learning opportunity. 9

10 Exhibition presentation. In order to best portray our concept at the exhibition, a poster will be used to show the progression of our rain garden. We will have pictures of what the area looks like before the rain garden is built, while it is being built, and after it is completed. Along with the pictures displaying the progression of the rain garden, the results of our technical, economic, and social benefit analyses as well as lessons learned will be presented. 6. Conclusions: This project was implemented in order to mitigate stormwater issues surrounding the Kromma Kill watershed and its associated communities. This simple, yet effective project will be implemented quickly and show immediate results by reducing the amount of runoff the College discharges into the Kromma Kill watershed headwaters. This reduction in runoff positively affects the downstream communities of the College that frequently refer to the institution as the cause of flooding throughout the watershed. Additionally, the rain garden will reduce the amount of pollutants being discharged into the wetlands, preserving the biological communities of that particular habitat. Community and on-campus education and outreach will positively reflect the College as being a proactive leader, taking initiative when it comes to stormwater management. With the funding from the G2C Project, the College will be able to successfully install and complete its rain garden project by April 22, 2013 in its entirety. i Town of Colonie, Town of Colonie Stormwater Management Plan. (2004) Colonie, NY. Available from: ii Town of Colonie, Town of Colonie Stormwater Management Plan. (2004) Colonie, NY. Available from: iii Asleson, B. C., Nestingen, R. S., Gulliver, J. S., Hozalski, R. M., Nieber, J. L., (2009) Performance Assessment of Rain Gardens, JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association 45(4),

11 iv Dietz, M and Clausen, J. (2005) A Field Evaluation of Rain Garden Flow and Pollutant Treatment, Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. 167(1) v Woodward, M., Hunt, W., and Hartup, W., (2008) Lessons Learned: The North Carolina Backyard Rain Garden Program Low Impact Development for Urban Ecosystem and Habitat Protection, 1-9 vi Installing a Rain Garden. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Albany County. vii ibid viii Bethlehem Rain Garden Design. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Albany County. ix National Weather Service, Climatological Report (Annual) Issued by NWS Albany, NY Available: x [REDACTED] College Campus-Wide Stormwater Management Plan: Volume II DRAFT Plan, Foit Albert Associates, Albany NY, July, xi Green Roofs. United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA.gov. Available: xii Green Roofs. United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA.gov. Available: xiii Permeable Pavement. Charles River Watershed Association. Craw.org. Available: xiv Permeable Pavement. Charles River Watershed Association. Craw.org. Available: Disclaimer: This Project Report is provided by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this narrative are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College; the College has not approved or endorsed its content. Faculty advisor s response to disclaimer: I have been asked by the College Counsel to put this disclaimer on all publications by faculty and students that involve stormwater issues on campus. Though the College has not approved or endorsed its content, the College Facilities Department is in full support of this project and has been working closely with us on the project. They will provide a letter of support to be included in the final presentation on April 24 th. 11