Puget Sound Regional Council has developed a guidance document on planning stormwater parks.
Stormwater parks cost effectively manage stormwater for a large area and provide recreational opportunities for the surrounding communities. Stormwater parks also build resilience to climate change by increasing greenspace and stormwater management, help improve water quality and fish habitat, and provide educational opportunities on environmental issues.
PSRC’s new guidance provides steps in planning a stormwater park, recommendations for integrating equity and maintenance considerations, and information on funding for planning, construction, and maintenance. The guide profiles stormwater parks that have been built in the region and includes lessons learned from them.
A notable one is the Stormwater Wetland Park in the city of Arlington, a 9-acre wetland that provides stormwater treatment and flood control. The wetlands consist of a series of wetland cells to improve water quality through infiltration, aeration, and vegetative uptake. Public recreation includes shoreline access, wildlife viewing areas, a dog park, and picnic tables.
As part of the project six communities received technical assistance to plan new stormwater parks: Kirkland, Kitsap County, Lynnwood, Marysville, Puyallup, and Woodinville. Marysville used the technical assistance to plan renovations to Jennings Park, including stormwater retrofits to treat runoff from 118 acres, interpretive signage, a decorative bridge, and enhanced landscaping. The City of Kirkland used the technical assistance to plan a new park on a vacant lot with bioretention cells to provide stormwater treatment, a paved trail that extends an existing trail south of the site, interpretive signage, benches, and plantings.
The project was funded by a Puget Sound National Estuary Program grant to catalyze the development of new stormwater parks. Find out more here.