Storm Water Performance Standards
Safe Harbor designs storm water systems with zero discharge performance standards. On site mitigation provides ground water recharge for sheet flow and point source discharge. Massachusetts Smart Growth initiatives advocate for the protection of our water resources.
Safe Harbor advocates for minimal de-vegetation and grade alterations on construction sites to minimize potential storm water generation and discharge. This also significantly reduces erosion control and re-vegetation costs. We also strongly advocate use of sustainable, indigenous vegetation systems. Native stem-leaf-root systems naturally reduce runoff velocity and remove pollutants, sediments and silt. These systems also contribute to habitat values.
These are some of the options we choose from.
1. Rain Garden
2. Rain Barrel irrigation
3. Cistern Storage
4. Filter Strips
5. Vegetated Swale
6. Stone Swale
7. In Ground Dispersal System
8. Drip Lines
9. Dry Wells
10.Bio Retention
We design and evaluate storm water management options based on sustainability, low profile, low maintenance and gravity driven systems. Most of these systems are also low cost. Check out our new Storm Water Management page under Educational Initiatives on our Home Page. This section is being frequently updated this fall.
Unmanaged storm water generated by impervious paving contributes animal, vehicle and road waste directly into our coastal wetlands. Workable management systems are available for municipal and residential use. Storm water should be infiltrated into the ground water table to meet performance standards for wetland areas.
Winter snow disposal by municipal and residential plows create concentrations of road salt, vehicle and road waste in frozen storm water. Plowed snow should be stored in swales, away from harbors.