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Community Revitalization Resulting from Stormwater Management Strategies Case Studies 1/14/2011 Prepared by:

Abstract: This document is a partial showcase of communities across the United States addressing their stormwater problems with solutions that are aimed at leveraging maximum public benefits. The projects featured in this case study collection are mostly “daylighted” streams or canals that treat large volumes of stormwater. This document is not meant to prescribe a solution, but to show how other communities have leveraged stormwater management projects to reap social, economic and/or environmental benefits.

Stormwater and Community Revitalization Case Studies

Hamilton County Planning and Development

Arcadia Creek Kalamazoo, Michigan Location Arcadia Creek is located in the downtown area of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The City of Kalamazoo has a core population of 80,000 people; however, it is the centre of a total population of approximately 250,000 people in southwestern Michigan. The Arcadia Creek watershed is mostly urban (Pinkham, 2000). History Arcadia Creek has been underground for the better part of 100 years. As impervious areas increased, so did the frequency of flooding as the culvert that contained Arcadia Creek was not large enough to handle the increased runoff according to the City of Kalamazoo. City engineers examined the cost of replacing the culvert but discovered that daylighting the creek and placing it in a canal would be cheaper. Construction of the project took place between 1989 and 1992, and finished in 1995. Design This project was part of a major downtown redevelopment campaign that included five blocks of a daylighted Arcadia Creek. Three of those blocks are concrete walled, while the remaining length is a storm water pond with landscaped, grassy slopes and re‐creation areas. A concrete channel was used, as the groundwater levels in Kalamazoo are too low for a creek to exist at the surface. It was not in the budget to create a riparian corridor or more naturalized creek. The total cost of the project was $18 million US, $7.5 million US specifically for daylighting Arcadia Creek. The total length daylighted was 1,550 feet, equal to five city blocks. The primary objectives for daylighting Arcadia Creek, was to address a serious flood problem and to create a downtown amenity that could leverage more redevelopment.

Results Previously subject to frequent flooding, city engineers predict that Kalamazoo is now protected from anything up to a 500‐year flood. The new “Festival Site” now hosts five major summer festivals that generate annual revenues of $12 million US. Property tax revenues near the creek have risen from $60,000 US to $400,000 US annually.

Photo: “Festival Site” along Arcadia Creek



Hastings Park Vancouver, British Columbia Status: The Sanctuary, where a pond is a result of a daylighted stream, was completed in 1999. The Master Plan for the Park, which could include more stormwater features including an expanded daylighted stream from the Sanctuary to the Burrard Inlet, is still in progress. Location Hastings Creek used to flow on the City of Vancouver's East Side, near the current Hastings Park. The creek no longer exists as the volume of water that made up its flow has been diverted into stom sewers. The watershed is mostly developed, and a residential area makes up the majority of the catchment area. History In the past, the park had focused on entertainment, as it was the location for horseracing, professional sports, conventions, and trade show, concerts and an amusement park. During this time, the park lost its greenery as well as its waterways ‐ a stream had existed in the park until 1935. In the 1980s, the surrounding community began lobbying the municipality to uphold the park's original mandate. In 1994, community groups came together to focus on the renewal of Hastings Park. Plans for the park focus on a proposed project to daylight Hastings Creek and the park will be dedicated to the areas natural and cultural history. Design The sanctuary, a 4‐hectare garden, overflows with greenery and birdcalls. Its main feature, the pond, is the result of the daylighting of a stream contained by a culvert for over 50 years, combined with rainwater collected from the neighborhood to the south. A series of bridges, winding pathways, riparian plantings and tucked‐away seating areas makes this a delightful refuge for visitors, as well as an

important example of restored habitat in an urban area. Results A portion of the daylighting project has been completed, involving a series of ponds at one end of Hastings Park collectively called “The Sanctuary.” The Master Plan for the Park, which could include more stormwater features, is still in progress. The current Master Plan includes a plan for a daylighted stream to connect the Sanctuary to the Burrard Inlet. This would double the amount of habitat for native species and wildlife from 9 acres to 18 acres.

Picture: The Sanctuary Credit: Dana Lynch @ Inside Vancouver Blog Source: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp05/MQ63529.pdf See also: http://vancouver.ca/pnepark/



Thornton Creek Seattle, Washington History In the 1950’s, suburban development came to the Thornton Creek Watershed. The Northgate Mall opened in 1950 and a 60‐inch diameter concrete storm pipe was buried under ground to accommodate a 5‐acre parking lot. The Northgate Mall was targeted in the Seattle 1994 Comprehensive Plan as an Urban Center ‐ a target for new jobs, housing and public investment. In December 2003, design began on the Water Quality Channel, incorporating a broad group of 22 community, environmental, and business interests. The ribbon‐cutting event happened on June 6, 2009 with approximately 500 people attending the event. Design A Water Quality Channel is a modified bioswale that consist of a Base Flow Channel, Wet Bioswale Terraces, and Sediment Pools. Pollutant removal occurs by filtration as stormwater moves through the vegetation. In this modified version of a bioswale, a base flow channel allows for visible dry weather flow. During wet weather, excess storm flows that crest the Base Flow Channel are spread evenly among the adjacent vegetated Wet Bioswale Terraces. This slows the flow down, enhancing sedimentation and pollutant removal. The Water Quality Channel also provides pedestrian accessibility and circulation. The bioswale is flanked on both sides by paths that connect the facility to the surrounding neighborhood. Two pedestrian bridges cross over the swale, allowing for scenic views and better connectivity. Three new plazas draw people towards the Water Quality Channel, and the trails that surround it. They also lead to new retail stores and the Transit Center. Educational Interpretive Signage and Public Art also add to the character of the Water Quality

Channel. The signage describes how plants and soil help to slow the stormwater and reduce pollution. Sculptures, bridge accents, lighted glass beads, and blue‐lighted walls surround the Water Quality Channel. Results The facility treats runoff from 680 acres, Seattle’s biggest watershed. The Water Quality Channel serves as the front yard of the private commercial and residential developments that surround it. The Water Quality Channel development and construction, which cost approximately $14.7 million is believed to have generated over $200 million in adjacent private development. It has catalyzed the Northgate neighborhood’s emergence as a growing urban center for the City of Seattle.

Photo: Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel

Photo: Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel Credit: Seattle Times Website Source:http://www.seattle.gov/util/groups/public/documents/webcontent/spu01_006146.pdf



Cow Creek Hutchinson, Kansas Location Cow Creek is located in downtown area of Hutchinson, Kansas. The Cow Creek watershed is approximately 1.5 sq. mi. of urban style development. Prior to the daylighting, the creek ran underneath a major downtown thoroughfare. History Downtown Hutchinson, Kansas experienced a host of problems in the 1980s and early 1990s. The underground pipes that encased Cow Creek below the city’s streets were deteriorating. The downtown streets flooded during heavy winter storms, and a major bridge into downtown needed replacing. The public avoided downtown’s vacant, abandoned buildings and run‐down environment, allowing crime and other problems to develop. In 1997, the section of highway that Cow Creek ran under needed to be rebuilt. Instead of rebuilding the road exactly, as it was with Cow Creek running in parallel underneath the road for a considerable distance, city officials decided to re‐route Cow Creek so that the road crossed the creek. The city could then re‐route traffic and eliminate the need for the bridge. The city found the costs of excavating, replacing and re‐burying the pipes, plus replacing the bridge were higher than daylighting the stream and creating a park along its banks. The city’s engineers also designed a stormwater pond to absorb the high winter storm flows and stop the flooding. Design The daylighted length of Cow Creek is approximately 800 linear feet. The concrete channel is 10‐feet wide and 30 inches deep. The city did not believe that a more natural channel would be appropriate for the downtown. The new park, completed in 1997,

includes other outdoor amenities such as a streamside path, and a grassy amphitheatre. Total cost including the new park and bridge removal was $4 million. The daylighted portion of the project accounted for $1.25 million of the total cost. Results The primary objective of the Cow Creek daylighted project was to avoid the impending costs of replacing a bridge that ran directly on top of Cow Creek. The secondary objective was to create a new urban park and bike path. When the public heard that the costs for daylighting the stream and creating a new park in the downtown area were less than the costs of unearthing and replacing the underground pipes and bridge, they supported the daylighting project. The Cow Creek design eventually included a water play area, a merry‐go‐round and a festival site. Today, instead of declining property values and diminishing business activity in Hutchinson’s downtown, property values have increased by 10% in the area (National Parks Service flyer, see link below). Concerts and music festivals are held regularly, and public use and business activity has increased.

Picture: Cow Creek Source of Case Study: http://www.nps.gov/ccso/rtca/indiancreekbrochure.pdf



Phalen Creek St. Paul, Minnesota Location The daylighting project that occurred on Phalen Creek took place in an area near downtown St. Paul, Minnesota known as Swede Hollow Park (Friends of Swede Hoflow Park, 2000). The park is the only daylighted section of Phalen Creek, as after it passes through the park it enters a culvert until it discharges into the Mississippi River (Pinkham, 200). The watershed is 2.4 sq. mi. of mostly high‐density residential and industrial land uses. History The Swede Hollow Park area has historically been a low‐income area. As development increased, the creek was culverted over the years. In 1956, the city condemned the area, and throughout much of the 1960s, the area was neglected. In the 1970s, community interest grew and the city created Swede Hollow Park. Failing storm water infrastructure in the 1980s lead to the idea of daylighting Phalen Creek, however, a full daylighting was not perceived as feasible. Instead, a portion of the water that makes up Phalen Creek was daylighted in 1987, while the remainder remains buried (Pinkham, 2000). Design The project is composed of a series of ponds, culverts and a daylighted section of 2,100 linear feet. The movement of the creek is controlled by the culverts, and Phalen Creek is only allowed to assume a more natural meandering course for a portion of the length of the project. At the end of this meandering section is the third and largest pond where water is drained away to continue its journey in a culvert (Pinkham, 2000). A high proportion of the water for this project used to come from a cooling tower effluent discharged from two nearby industries. One of the industries treated its effluent with biocide,

and up until the plant's closure in 1998, the creek was not able to support aquatic life (Pinkham, 2000). Results The primary objective of this project was to create a park amenity by removing a culvert destroyed by a storm. The secondary objective was to build sedimentation/detention ponds along the stream’s length to improve water quality. This project also instigated further proposed projects to daylight other sections of Phalen Creek (Pinkham, 2000).

Photo: Daylighted segment of Phalen Creek



Brush Creek Kansas City, Missouri Location A tributary to the Blue River, Brush Creek straddles the Kansas/Missouri state line. The watershed has two sub‐watersheds: Rock Creek in the northwest and Town Fork in the southwest. History The Brush Creek flood of September 12‐13, 1977, inundated the Plaza with five to six feet of water, leaving 25 people dead and damages in excess of $66 million. Following another severe flood in 1993, $1.4 billion in investments have since been allocated to improve flood control within the Brush Creek corridor. The options are part of a comprehensive plan being developed by the city in its Wet Weather Solutions Program. Estimated capital costs for sewer and stormwater improvements citywide are between $3.5 billion and $5 billion. Design Brush Creek was channelized to contain higher flows but there was still pressure to reduce safety risks and mitigate property damage from flooding. Another stormwater project, the 10,000 Rain Gardens Initiative was developed to inspire homeowners, businesses, and community groups to install small‐scale, attractive stormwater BMPs in their yards. Results The newly landscaped corridor has inspired several institutions and businesses to move their headquarters to the area. For example, H&R Block has moved its Kansas City, Mo., home office in an 84,000‐square‐foot service center that is designed to expand to 124,000 square feet.

A private apartment complex and 88 duplex units also have located along the creek. Additionally, the river walk has promoted economic development in a number of neighborhoods, including the area east of Troost, one of the less economically developed streets in the city. Promotes economic development According to Terry Dopson, director of parks, recreation and boulevards for the city, the river walk is making an impact on the community. "The Brush Creek Corridor is now probably the most exciting place in the city with over $750 million in recent development. I predict that 10 years from now it will be the hub of the city," he says (americancityandcounty.com).

Photo: Brush Creek, Kansas City, Missouri Credit: MW Steele Group Inc. More Info: Carol Grimaldi Brush Creek Community Partners Executive Director 816‐523‐2991 http://www.bccp.org/



Bricktown Canal Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Location The Bricktown Canal runs through downtown Oklahoma City to the Oklahoma River. History In 1993, voters in Oklahoma City approved a municipal sales tax to be used to finance a set of major capital improvements, largely in the downtown area. The overall cost was in the range of $360 million. One of these projects was a $26 million dollar canal running through the heart of downtown. Other projects included a minor league ballpark, trolley bus service, improvements to the Convention Center, construction of a Civic Center Music Hall, construction of the Ford Center, a library, and improvements to the Oklahoma River. Relevance: The canal has been so successful that Bricktown has been investigating the expansion of the canal as part of the next Metropolitan Area Projects bundle called MAPS3. This project is relevant to Lick Run as a water feature becoming a catalyst for community revitalization. Design The concrete lined canal stretches one mile through the urban district to a new park. Results The Bricktown Canal provides visitors with a unique urban landscape that complements the area’s restaurant businesses, convention centers, hotels and tourist attractions. The canal itself hosts boat rides that attract approximately 140,000 people annually. In addition to the sites attracting visitors, there has been $238 million investment in housing and mixed‐use structures during 1995‐2008. The total private and public investment following the canal and the other three downtown projects has equaled $545.7 million. Anecdotally, property values (in the

aggregate) in Bricktown have increased by more than 300% since the canal was built.

Photo: Bricktown Canal, Oklahoma City



Jeffersonville Canal Jeffersonville, Indiana Location Jeffersonville's combined sewers are located in about 1,000 acres of the city's downtown. History The proposed canal idea grew from the practical need to solve the EPA Consent Decree. As part of its Combined Sewer Overflow Long‐Term Control Plan ‐‐ which was submitted to EPA in April 2010 and is still under review ‐‐ the city will be required to divert storm water from sewers that now carry both storm and sanitary flows and then convey that storm water to the Ohio River in a controlled, responsible manner. Relevance: This proposed source water solution is an extremely relevant project that could treat a significant amount of stormwater and serve as a potential catalyst for economic development. Design The canal would measure 40 feet wide by four feet deep. It would treat stormwater through bioswales and catch basin filters during wet weather. It would connect planned developments such as a convention center and hotel and the approach to the Big Four Pedestrian & Bike Bridge. The canal is capable of holding 5.265 million gallons of water that will be released through an underground outfall into the Ohio River. Results The canal is estimated to cost $52 million, would travel about 3,300 feet through Jeffersonville just west of its historic Downtown, and could be finished in 10 years. The city says $30 million for the canal includes only its drainage function. The amenities that would help it become an economic development tool would cost around $22 million, for the total $52 million price tag.

The canal serves three purposes: Help the city comply with the Clean Water Act by diverting millions of gallons of storm water from what are now combined sewers (pipes that carry sanitary and storm water) and guard against combined sewer overflows; Protect against chronic flooding in areas of downtown Jeffersonville that have the lowest elevations ‐‐ such as Ohio Avenue between Seventh and Eighth streets ‐‐ and providing the ability to drain up to 5 inches of rain in an hour, such as that which was experienced locally on the morning of August 4, 2009; and, Set the stage for what could be hundreds of millions of dollars of private‐sector investment in downtown Jeffersonville in the form of a hotel and convention center and retail, restaurant, office, residential and entertainment spaces.

Canal Concept Plan (Courtesy City of Jeffersonville)



Manchester Park Stream Restoration Lenexa, Kansas Location Manchester Park, an old farm field and pond, served as a drainage area for the Manchester neighborhood but was continually wet and difficult to maintain. History The City’s of Lenexa’s Rain to Recreation program set out to create a stream and wetland to improve drainage and water quality while providing recreational opportunities in the neighborhood and educational opportunities for the Olathe School District’s elementary school across the street. Design This stormwater management project was designed as a natural stream channel constructed in the existing drainage way between homes within a subdivision. The main portion of the stream is a shallow gravel bed, while the southern portion is a grassland stream with tall native plants designed to provide structural stability and water quality benefits. A trail runs through the project connecting the neighborhood to the elementary school. Along the trail are interpretive signs for the purpose of education related to urban stream management and the application of wetlands to clean stormwater runoff. Results In addition to stormwater conveyance and infiltration, a neighborhood amenity has been created that provides a natural play area for children. The Manchester Park streamway project earned the 2006 Project of the Year award from the regional chapter of the American Public Works Association.



Hamilton Canal District Lowell, Massachusetts Status: In Development Relevance: This case study is most relevant as an example of a community harnessing a water feature as an economic catalyst. The redevelopment will include a number of on‐site Low‐Impact‐Development techniques and best management practices such as green roofs, filtering raingardens, rain water harvesting facilities, vortex units, and deep sump catchbasins for treatment and mitigation of stormwater. Description: The Hamilton Canal District will result in the reinvention of 15 acres of vacant and underutilized land as a new vibrant mixed‐use neighborhood. The site will require environmental remediation before development can take place. Redevelopment of the Canal District will treat the historic canals as a significant amenity with walkways for easier public accessibility. Stormwater Management: Implementation of LID techniques is complicated due to the existence of contaminated soils throughout the site. Because of the apparent global contamination of this site, groundwater recharge facilities cannot be considered in the design as required by the Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook, as it could cause further migration of the existing contamination on site.

Picture: Existing Hamilton Canal

Picture: Proposed Hamilton Canal District Credit: Rendering by cooltownstudios.com



The Dell at the University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Status: Completed in 2008‐2009 Relevance: A daylighted stream on an urban campus setting. This project won an Honor Award from ASLA for stormwater management. This daylighted stream was done in a more naturalized way, so this case study might be more useful for the visioning of a daylighted Lick Run. Design: This project converts a neglected and overgrown low area into a beautiful retention pond surrounded by meandering walks and contemplative sitting places. It also creates a botanical garden of native Virginia plants representative of three physiographic provinces. Furthermore, it restores a 1,200 linear foot section of piped stream to a more naturalized profile; and it provides an innovative and elegant stormwater management system for new projects downstream.

Picture: The Dell at University of Virginia Photo Credit: ASLA website

The Canal District & White River State Park Indianapolis, Indiana Status: Built in 1830’s, rehabbed in 1980s and expanded in 1996. Relevance: Unrelated to stormwater but good example of water feature becoming catalyst for community revitalization Results: The “culture districts,” such as the Canal District, have transformed Downtown Indianapolis, creating an abundance of vibrant places. The economic impact of the canal is difficult to quantify, due to the age of the canal system.

Picture: The Canal District, Indianapolis Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald, World of Stock

Picture: The Canal District, Indianapolis Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald, World of Stock

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