Grand Valley was honored for its storm water management practices
at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan awards
ceremony on February 25.
Assistant Vice President for Facilities Planning James Moyer and
geology professor Peter Wampler attended the event, where the
university received an Honorable Conceptor award and was also awarded
the Judge’s Choice for Panel Design.
Moyer said the university has implemented several infrastructure
projects to manage storm water, including wetland construction, green
roofs and rain gardens installations, and storm water collection that
is used for campus irrigation.
The storm water management complex near the Allendale television
tower provides treatment for storm water generated from 123 campus
acres, and diverts significant amounts of runoff storm water away from
the Grand River ravines. “The complex serves as a demonstration
project on how to manage storm water on site and provides a nice
outdoor learning laboratory for students and faculty members,” Moyer
said.
Grand Valley has worked with Grand Rapids-based firm Fishbeck,
Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. to develop and implement a campus
storm water management plan that seeks to:
- restore the historic drainage patterns for campus storm water runoff;
- engage and educate students and faculty and staff members about storm water management;
- create better ecosystems for plants and wildlife;
- promote the university’s overall sustainability goals and;
- employ, monitor and evaluate best practices for reducing the amount of runoff being generated.
For more information, visit the university's storm water initiative website or read the article, "Preserving the ravines ," published in the summer 2011 edition of Grand Valley Magazine.
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