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What is Low Impact Development? Low Impact Development (LID) is a new philosophy that strives to keep water where it falls. This requires a new way of thinking and design that allows water to be retained on the property until it either soaks into the ground or evaporates. This can be achieved by a rethinking of traditional on-site design, to incorporate rain gardens, permeable paving, porous pavers, landscaped swales and other methods that increase the sponge capacity of the ground so it works more similarly to natural (i.e., unpaved) conditions. For instance, a rain garden (an example is shown below) is simply a depressed area that is planted, which will hold the rainwater until it can either soak into the ground or evaporate in a relatively short period of time.
Grading of the site, in conjunction with lack of curbing, allows the run-off to drain into a rain garden or bio-swale.
Porous pavers in conjunction with a bio-swale.
Retention systems allow the “first flush” rain storm to be kept on site. Retaining the “first flush” is important because it allows the pollutants and debris that have accumulated during the dry season to stay on site, rather then draining into our channels, lakes, and ocean. The water is filtered as it percolates into the water table below. An overflow design allows excess rain water to drain off-site, while leaving pollutants and debris on the property.
For information please contact either
the Planning Division at 714.754.5245 or Patrick Bauer at
714754.5633. |
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