One of the parking lots at the Washington State University Research and Extension Center in Puyallup isn’t just a place for people to leave their cars while they work or visit.
It’s also a stormwater filtration system. So are the “rain gardens” several feet away.
The asphalt is porous, allowing rain to sink into the ground. And the 36 beds and tanks of soil and plants are designed to catch and filter rainwater before it carries oil, grease and other pollutants to waterways.
They’re working models of low-impact development techniques aimed at cutting down on stormwater pollution. Researchers at the center on West Pioneer are studying their effectiveness and looking for ways to improve them, said Curtis Hinman, low-impact development research program director.
On Friday, he gave dozens of officials – from WSU President Elson Floyd to the mayor and other leaders from the City of Puyallup – an up-close look at the techniques, walking them from the parking lot with pervious pavement to the rows of rain gardens.
Those aren’t the only stormwater research efforts happening at the center. There’s also a fish lab where officials are studying the impacts of pollutants on salmon. An eventual goal is to optimize the stormwater filters so there’s no effect on fish and aquatic life, Hinman said.
After the tour Friday, there was a panel discussion on stormwater management – an effort at which leaders said this area is helping lead the way.
“Here in the state of Washington, we’re known for rain,” said Josh Baldi, special assistant to the director of the state Department of Ecology. “So if anyone is going to figure it out, it’s going to be us.”
The low-impact development research program was created with a $1 million grant from Ecology. The City of Puyallup helped secure it and is implementing low-impact strategies within its borders.
The city has rain gardens in three neighborhoods, said Mayor Kathy Turner, who was part of the panel.
“Stormwater is such an important issue,” she said, adding that the city will keep low-impact strategies in mind as it continues to grow.
Puyallup recently won an award from the Association of Washington Cities for its rain garden program.
And it’s part of a partnership of agencies aimed at restoring and protecting Clarks Creek that recently was named a “green infrastructure partnership” by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Friday’s event also served as unveiling of the Washington Stormwater Center, a partnership between WSU and the University of Washington Tacoma’s Center for Urban Waters.
It’s designed to be a resource for stormwater management in the state through research, permit assistance, information and training.
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058 sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/street
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