Rainwater Management to Mitigate the Effects of Development on the Urban Hydrologic Cycle

Traditional stormwater management approaches that rely on rapid conveyance and end-of-pipe detention have not adequately mitigated the effects of urbanization on water resources and the aquatic and human communities that rely upon them. Low-impact development techniques that can support a shift to management of the post-development hydrologic cycle and runoff volumes offer better opportunities to prevent stream erosion and protect groundwater recharge, characteristics of the flow regime and water quality. The application and design of four techniques—porous pavement, bioretention cells, green roofs and rainwater harvesting— in the management of the post-development water balance are presented.