http://catalog.botanicgardens.org/select.aspx?item=1022&sch=20981
Rainwater and snow melt are a precious resource – and a potential hazard. Despite the limitations of water law, landscapes can harvest this water while dramatically reducing stormwater problems downstream. The challenge is to make it real here.
Rainwater harvesting and stormwater management meet under the umbrella of Green Infrastructure – which encompasses the many ways that water moves through the built and natural environment, including roofs, hardscapes, landscapes and waterways. Each bioregion has best practices for Green Infrastructure. Cities and scholars across the nation have tackled these challenges regionally, and this is the opportunity to learn about the unique solutions for Green Infrastructure in the Intermountain West.
The demand for regionally appropriate rainwater harvesting, stormwater management and Low Impact Development (LID) is driving new trends for designers, contractors and planners. At this workshop, you’ll learn: environmentally-friendly ways to manage runoff, principles of legal rainwater harvesting, fundamentals of rain gardens, the benefits of LID, and sources and standards for practical applications. This will be illustrated with relevant examples and presented by experienced Front Range practitioners.
Jason Gerhardt has practiced and taught permaculture design in diverse regions of the US since 2005. With a BA in Sustainable Design, he is known for detailed knowledge of plant ecologies, food production, and rainwater harvesting. Jason has been featured in many publications and currently teaches for Naropa University, Prescott College, Transition Colorado, and High Altitude Permaculture Institute.
Andrew Earles Ph.D., P.E. is the Vice President of Water Resources for Wright Water Engineers, Inc. (WWE) in Denver, Colorado. He was named one of the “Top 20 under 40” by Engineering News Record Mountain States Construction in 2011. Andrew has been involved in monitoring, evaluation, and design of best management practices (BMPs) for over ten years. Andrew’s Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Virginia examined the potential for maximizing the BMP functions of mitigated wetlands and he participated in numerous monitoring efforts including studies of pond-wetland systems, grassed swales, and ultra-urban BMPs. Andrew has worked on the project team developing the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)/US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) International BMP Database and was the Project Manager for the recent update of Volume 3 of the Denver Urban Drainage and Flood Control District’s (UDFCD’s) Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual.
The schedule for the workshop is:
8:30 - 9:00 Registration
9:00 - 9:15 Introduction
9:15 - 10:15 Jason Gerhardt – Rainwater harvesting
Fundamental principles
In-depth presentation of 2 projects from design through installtion
10:30 - 11:30 Andrew Earles – Fundamentals of stormwater management Low Impact Development (LID)
Overview of the Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual for the Front Range
Basics of creating a rain garden
In-depth presentation of an LID project from design through installation
11:30 – 11:45 Andy Creath – Green Roofs integrated into Green Infrastructure
11:45 – 12:30 Panel discussion and Questions