University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
OP-27: Rainwater Management

The stormwater managerment plan was developed to assist the University of Stevens Point to meet the current stormwater regulations and help in the planning for any future development to meet the requirements set forth by the EPA and Wisconsin DNR.2011. The Facilities Planning Committee is a group that provides general oversight for University campus planning and development. One of the responsibilities for this committee is developing and maintaining a six-year plan for the physical development of the campus. A complete Campus Physical Development Plan is conceptually a statement of the campus long-range goals and the six-year building program to work toward achieving long-range goal. In achieving these goals the University will have to provide additional stormwater management facilities. All new impervious surfaces will need stormwater management planning and facilities. These facilities will be more significant than providing storm sewer that discharges to a safe outlet. The addition of DNR code NR 151, as described previously, has placed added burden on the developer to provide stormwater management practices to prevent water quality and quantity problems.

A study was done in 2006 to create a plan, which can be used to guide the University of Stevens Point to address current drainage problems, recommend best management practices to solve those problems along with recommendations to meet the requirements set forth in the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and for future development. The plan was developed to assist the university to meet the current stormwater regulations and help in the planning for any future development to meet the requirements set forth by the EPA and Wisconsin DNR.

Rebuild of parking lot R includes an underground retention system and manifold collection system. Biological filters (rain gardens) were installed throughout the lot to remove suspended solids prior to re-charging the groundwater in the area of the parking lot.

The green roof contains five different types of plants that effectively absorb up to one inch of rainwater. Due to the evaporative effects of the plants, the roof helps the LRC save energy. In the summer, less energy is needed to cool the building. The plants also help to insulate the building in the winter, meaning less heat is needed. This creates reduced heat island effect and less energy usage. http://library.uwsp.edu/news/news154.htm

The university chooses not to have porous paving due to winter conditions needing sand and salt applied to parking and walking surfaces. The debris would need to be vaccuumed off the paving.

On our LEED-Gold Residence Hall, the roof water goes into the yard via a rain garden. All other flat roofs on campus connect to the storm sewer directly.

Old Main Rain Gardens– the oldest building on the UWSP campus, houses two rain gardens. The rain gardens, planted in 2005, collect run-off rain water from the Old Main roof and filter it so that cleaner water reaches the water table. They also absorb water, which means that less water reaches the storm water system and less energy is required to treat the water. 2011 Neale Hall renovation included a large 2-tier rain garden that has the ability to filtrate hundreds of gallons of storm water each year that might otherwise be diverted to paved areas, undersized storm sewer pipes, and the city of Stevens Point’s storm water infrastructure

Retention ponds are located at several campus locations. One at the parking lot of Schmeeckle Reserve, a 280-acre natural area that makes up 2/3 of the University campus. A retention pond was also included with the 2011 construction of a new chilled water plant.

Seven bio-filtration islands were built into the rebuild of parking lot R.

Rebuild of parking lot R was a stormwater best management practice demonstration. The stormwater collection system was designed to send runoff water to the Wisconsin River as infrequent as once every 25 to 50 years.

Neale Hall renovation included a large 2-tier rain garden that has the ability to filtrate hundreds of gallons of storm water each year that might otherwise be diverted to paved areas, undersized storm sewer pipes, and the city of Stevens Point’s storm water infrastructure. 2012 New construction of Suite style residences hall includes a controlled flow roof drainage system that ties into a stone stormwater management feature at the south plaza; also, no irrigation used for landscaping Rebuild of parking lot R was a stormwater best management practice demonstration. The stormwater collection system was designed to send runoff water to the Wisconsin River as infrequent as once every 25 to 50 years. In the planning stages of a science building, which will include low impact development practices.