The Green Infrastructure Toolkit is currently under development by ORS in conjunction with Dana Brown & Associates. The GI Toolkit will encompass design standards and specification for Green infrastructure related projects as well as stormwater permit submissions. These details will include Standard Engineering details needed to properly design and Green Infrastructure project.
A “Stormwater/Green Infrastructure calculator” is also being developed. This tool will help designers/architects, and engineers calculate the required amount of stormwater storage needed on their project site to conform with the Stormwater Code. The calculator will also include various calculations to assist in improvement Water quality runoff from the project site.
A Comprehensive green infrastructure Maintenance manual will be developed under this project. Since comprehensive stormwater management must combine both gray and green infrastructure elements within a project, the maintenance manual will include the cost for both.
Regular maintenance helps ensure that green infrastructure elements, such as vegetated swales, rain gardens, permeable pavement, and green roofs, continue to function as intended. This includes maintaining proper infiltration rates, water storage capacity, and pollutant removal efficiency. Without proper maintenance, green infrastructure can degrade over time due to factors such as sediment accumulation, plant overgrowth, compaction of soil, or clogging of drainage systems. Maintenance activities help prevent these issues, ensuring the infrastructure remains in optimal condition. Green infrastructure is designed to manage stormwater runoff by absorbing, filtering, and slowing its flow. Regular maintenance activities, such as removing debris and sediment buildup, ensure that these systems can effectively manage stormwater, reducing the risk of flooding and erosion. The development of this maintenance manual will allow the city to prolong and maintain the lifespan of the installed Green Infrastructure projects.
Additionally, a dashboard of all current and planned GI projects will be developed. The dashboard will include the GIS location and features of all green infrastructure projects, as well as project information such as capacity of stormwater managed/stored, native plants included in the projects, etc