Building green in Lamoille County

Working with two public institutions — Johnson State College and Peoples Academy High School in Morrisville — LCCD will continue its work with engineers to create “mini constructed wetlands” to capture runoff from parking lots and, with it, the salt, sand, oil and other pollutants that runoff carries. The water is then stored, filtered and slowly released into nearby natural waterways.

Both schools hope to improve the existing construction standards of their parking areas to progressively increase the capacity to capture and treat stormwater and protect water quality. At Johnson State, LCCD will work with an engineer to complete a feasibility study and alternatives analysis to improve runoff capture by retrofitting the parking lot with green infrastructure.

At Peoples Academy, the first phase of green infrastructure practices was initiated by Sheila Tymon’s Envirothon students in 2012. With further assistance and 2013 Ecosystem Restoration Program funds provided through LCCD with support from Concept 2 Inc., an engineered conceptual design for a sidewalk bioretention area and rain garden was completed last year.

The second phase of the project will move forward into a final design phase this year. LCCD will develop a planting plan and work with student and community volunteers to construct both areas this summer.

The Ecosystem Restoration Program grant allows LCCD to continue working with private, public and municipal partners to protect the Lamoille and Winooski watersheds by promoting, developing and implementing green infrastructure practices in Lamoille County.

For more information, please contact me at kimberly.komer@vt.nacdnet.net or 888-9218 ext. 113.

Kimberly Komer is director of the Lamoille County Conservation District, based in Morrisville.