Developed by the Office of Resilience and Sustainability and Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans in partnership with Dana Brown and Associates, this Green Infrastructure Toolkit establishes the City’s first unified set of design standards, specifications, and permitting guidance for all green infrastructure projects.
For the first time, City agencies, engineers, architects, and contractors can rely on a single, consistent resource that outlines how green infrastructure should be planned, designed, reviewed, and maintained across New Orleans.
This level of standardization is essential in a city where projects often span multiple departments and funding sources, ensuring that every installation meets the same expectations for performance, durability, and long-term care.
Green Infrastructure Toolkit Guide
G.I. Toolkit Plant List
G.I. Project Specifications
Stormwater & Green Infrastructure Calculator
The Toolkit includes a Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Calculator that helps designers determine the amount of stormwater storage required to meet the City’s Stormwater Code. It also includes additional calculations that support improved water quality outcomes at the site level.
Stormwater Calculator User Guide
Stormwater Calculator Template
Green Infrastructure Maintenance Manual
A Comprehensive Green Infrastructure Maintenance Manual is also part of the Toolkit. Because successful stormwater management blends both gray and green systems, the manual outlines maintenance needs and cost considerations for both. By following these standards, the City and its partners can extend the lifespan and effectiveness of every green infrastructure investment.
Regular maintenance ensures that green infrastructure features like swales, rain gardens, permeable pavement, and green roofs continue to absorb, filter, and slow stormwater as intended. Over time, issues such as sediment buildup, plant overgrowth, soil compaction, or clogged drainage can reduce performance. Routine activities like debris and sediment removal prevent these problems, protect infiltration and storage capacity, and reduce flood and erosion risks. This maintenance manual will help the City preserve the function and extend the lifespan of all installed green infrastructure projects.
Green Infrastructure Maintenance Manual