The project's purpose was to solve UVA's serious stormwater management issues, allow future project construction, improve the landscape and open space, and restore the Meadow Creek Watershed. UVA also wanted to improve stakeholder relationships and the university's image as environmental stewards.
This first-of-its-kind regional stormwater management plan, using natural systems such as created wetlands, daylighted streams, and feature ponds, improved water quality, decreased stormwater flow from the grounds, and created beautiful landscape amenities.
Practical and economical solutions addressing environmental concerns were developed to manage the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff. Enhancements included creating wetlands and "green" Best Management Practice (BMP) solutions to restore the degraded environment. Design of the regional, natural systems resulted in a reduction in time-consuming ongoing maintenance and maintenance costs.
Development of the regional stormwater management plan cost $2.5 million, only 30 percent of the total net cost if stormwater management facilities had been designed and built project-by-project.
The new facilities provide physical examples of sustainable design and opportunities for outdoor teaching resources to demonstrate the stormwater treatment capacity of the natural environment. One outcome is that The Dell has been incorporated into the curriculum of Environmental Science 101 classes each semester.
Building/land use innovation demonstrates that landscape features can have multiple uses solving pollution problems and controlling stormwater runoff while increasing open space and providing recreational and educational areas. Landscape features also provide visually attractive areas, serve as buffers between developed areas and water resources, and function as popular gathering places for students, faculty, and visitors. The plan focused on sustainability, energy conservation, and green building issues.
The jury noted that "This is a growing campus trend . . . nice design response to a treatment chain . . . created a beautiful feature from a stormwater project . . . Project Team: Nitsch Engineering with University of Virginia; and Patton Harris Rust & Associates, civil engineering. |
