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URBAN RUNOFF
In 2012, New Jersey flagged the Lower Passaic River for oxygen as Newark built 14 stormwater systems. 10 years later, those projects captured 265,845 gallons of runoff yearlyThrough a combination of education and innovative green infrastructure projects, water quality in the Passaic River has seen remarkable imp...
In St. Paul, Penfield added a vegetated roof over a conventional membrane; monitoring found the green-roof membrane peaked about 51°F cooler than the conventional roofResearch reveals that green roofs maintain lower temperatures compared to conventional roofs, leading to significant reductions in cooling ...
In 2004, Iowa listed Easter Lake for murky water. 20 years later, restoration helped it meet water standards and park visits climbed from 500,000 to 1.3 million visitorsEaster Lake in Des Moines was listed as impaired in 2004 because sediment and cloudy water were damaging its quality. Two decades of restor...
At California’s McCormick and Baxter Superfund site, a pilot study used hybrid poplars to treat polluted groundwater; runoff from the planted system held 99% less contaminationPoplar trees are playing a key role in detoxifying polluted groundwater at a previous industrial site. Through this innovative pilot projec...
In 2023, Connecticut removed Strong Pond Dam after 20 years of planning. 3 years later, 10 upstream miles are open to fish, reconnecting 20 miles of habitat for wildlifeThe removal of Strong Pond Dam in Wilton, Connecticut, marks a significant achievement in river restoration. This initiative has revitalize...
In 2011, Illinois' Algonquin secured $1 million for a Woods Creek watershed plan. 10 years later, 27 projects costing $4.8 million had reduced pollution and improved the watershed for residentsThe Woods Creek watershed in Illinois became the focus of a long-term restoration effort after the Village of Algonquin received more than ...
In 1996, Illinois added Lake Decatur to its pollution list after farm runoff harmed its water. 28 years later, nitrogen levels fell below the 7.8 mg/L limitLake Decatur's water quality improved after implementing agricultural best management practices. Efforts to reduce nutrient and sediment ru...
In 2007, Florida's Pinellas County won EPA approval for a nutrient plan for Lake Seminole. 17 years later, chlorophyll a dropped from 124 to 36 µg/L, proving restoration workedLake Seminole restoration is showing something Florida communities rarely get to see: a troubled urban lake actually getting better. In Pin...
In 2002, Illinois listed Sugar Creek as polluted by 2 water-quality problems. 20 years later, 1 was cleared after cleanup efforts helped restore healthy oxygen levelsSugar Creek's dissolved oxygen impairment was cleared after twenty years of restoration work. Projects across the watershed focused on redu...
In 2011, Arkansas prioritized Lake Conway-Point Remove to tackle pollution. 13 years later, Conway cut nitrogen 41% and phosphorus 44% with green infrastructure annuallyLake Conway-Point Remove story ultimately shows why the future of water-quality protection may depend on combining engineering with ecology...
In 2020, DC's DOEE restored 500 feet of stream at Branch Avenue Park. Six years later, a site where the streambed had eroded by more than 15 feet was transformed, opening parkland for peopleA stream restoration project transformed a degraded parkland section in southeast Washington, DC. This initiative improved habitat and reso...
In 2015, Cullinan Ranch crews breached levees, bringing tidal flows back to 1,200 acres. 11 years later, migratory birds and fish now use the restored Napa River habitat in CaliforniaTidal marshes are valuable coastal wetlands that support wildlife, protect shorelines, filter polluted water and provide other ecosystem se...
In 2012, Cleveland Metroparks surveyed Beecher’s Brook after Ohio listed the Chagrin River as impaired, then restored 350 feet. 8 years later, fish scores improved againBeecher's Brook restoration project removed a fish passage barrier and enhanced habitat. This work led to marked improvements in fish and m...
In 2010, federal wildlife trustees secured $2.65 million for San Francisco Bay tidal marsh restoration. 5 years later, tidal waters returned to 1,250 acres at Cullinan RanchSan Francisco Bay tidal marshes are being restored for a reason that reaches far beyond wildlife. These wetlands filter polluted water and ...
In 1996, Illinois listed Lake Decatur for phosphorus and nitrogen pollution. 25 years later, 3 grants helped Decatur expand BMPs and improve water quality in the lakeLake Decatur has struggled with agricultural runoff pollution for several years, prompting the launch of a water quality initiative aimed a...
Indian Railways is planting an aromatic-rooted grass in Lonavala ghats to prevent landslides and avert a Nepal-like flash flood situationIndian Railways is testing vetiver, an aromatic-rooted grass native to India, as a low-cost nature-based solution to stabilise vulnerable s...
In 2022, Washington DC installed 2 bioretention systems across 2.6 acres to manage runoff. 1 year later, they could retain 2,627 cubic feet of stormwater per stormWashington DC bioretention systems are quietly changing what happens when heavy rain hits city streets. Two systems on Hamlin Street NE can...
In 2018, Hamlin Street NE installed bioretention systems managing 2.6 acres in Washington, DC. 8 years later, they retain nearly 20,000 gallons per storm, improving water quality in Hickey RunHamlin Street bioretention systems are quietly changing how Washington, DC, handles stormwater. Two green infrastructure systems can retain...
In Chicago, a Shedd Aquarium-backed team built floating gardens, and after years on the Chicago River, they've now spread to Bubbly CreekIn Chicago's Bubbly Creek, innovative floating wetlands are taking center stage in the fight against pollution. These modular systems not o...
In 1972, Chicago began digging 110 miles of sewer tunnel up to 300 feet down; 50 years on, the Deep Tunnel has captured more than a trillion gallons of combined sewageChicago's Deep Tunnel project has been a vital safeguard for Lake Michigan over the past fifty years. Initiated in 1972, this impressive 11...