Green Infrastructure Turns Stormwater Problems Into Economic Opportunity in Onondaga County
When Onondaga County faced a federal mandate to reduce sewer overflows, officials took the familiar step: build more gray infrastructure. Over the next few years, officials realized the costs were untenable and that they needed a strategy that could meet compliance while delivering more than bigger pipes. They looked to a greener alternative.
Planning for the Future
In 2010, Onondaga County partnered with CH2M engineers and Viridian Landscape Studio to develop a strategy to manage rainwater at its source rather than at the end of the pipe. The program, Save the Rain, set a clear target: divert 250 million gallons of stormwater from the combined sewer system by 2018. It worked. Viridian's contribution alone diverted 6.5 million gallons in its first year — a number that only grew as the landscape evolved. For the city, that meant fewer overflow events, less wear on aging pipes, and a cheaper path to compliance than pouring more concrete. And all those savings mean more money is available for the public good.
Onondaga hit the goal through rain gardens, bioswales, wetland and meadow restorations, green roofs, street tree plantings, and revegetation efforts — projects that not only protected the environment and infrastructure, but also made better places for people and wildlife.
Project | Capture Area | Runoff Reduction |
|---|---|---|
Townsend Parking Lot | 55,000 sq. ft | 975,000 gallons/year |
Avery Avenue Pass / Arboretum | 39,000 sq. ft. | 764,000 gallons/year |
Burnet Park / Zoo Entrance | 39,000 sq. ft | 680,000 gallons/year |
OnCenter Municipal Parking Garage | 72,500 sq. ft. | 1,277,000 gallons/year |
Sunnycrest / Park Arena Lot | 107,000 sq. ft | 1,876,000 gallons/year |
Water Street Gateway | 53,000 sq. ft | 924,000 gallons/year |
TOTALS: | 365,500 sq. ft. | 6,496,000 gallons/year |