Surface Water Management

Global Menu

Surface Water Management

Public Works
Natural Resources

< Back to Stormwater Management

Water Quality

Drainage

Habitat and Restoration

Noxious Weeds

Public Works



LID Demonstration Parking Lot

Project Description
The 1.5 acre site is immediately adjacent to a tributary to Kulshan Creek. The former movie theatre on this site was demolished in 2008. Untreated stormwater discharged directly into the Kulshan Creek system. This parking lot retrofit project incorporated several LID techniques to meet stormwater management criteria including four bioretention cells, porous asphalt and porous concrete surfaces. Traditional asphalt areas drain into the bioretention areas.

Project Goals
Reduce the volume of stormwater runoff and pollutants generated by impervious surfaces and to demonstrate to the public viable alternatives to conventional development /construction methods. Located amidst City and County Services the site provides constant exposure to the public and serves as an LID education and outreach tool .

The LID Demonstration Parking Lot was constructed in 2014 and funded by a Department of Ecology Stormwater Retrofit and LID Grant GL1200598 and several County Departments including the Drainage Utility.

Although not grant-eligible, an LED lighting system was installed and a pedestrian bridge was recycled from a previous County project and serves as access to the new lot.


Permeable pavement sample with water running through it. This LID project includes a variety of systems that mimic or preserve natural drainage processes to manage stormwater and provide water quality treatment. Porous materials, installation techniques and use of bioretention soils all promote infiltration and eliminate discharge into creeks, ditches and storm drains.
Diagram of permeable pavement showing 6 inches of pervious concrete on top, then 6 inches of permeable ballast, then minimally compacted subgrade.
Gravel being laid down in a dug out pit for the LID parking lot.

 

 

There are four cells totaling 0.1 acres of infiltrating raingardens. Each were excavated over 3 feet deep to allow for 12” drain rock, 18” bioretention soil mix and composted soil.

Permeable asphalt being laid down over the gravel for the LID parking lot Rain now falls on 0.75 acres of 3 different pervious surfaces, it will filter through the pavement sections and into gravel reservoirs below. Additional water quality treatment is provided by the underlying native soils.
Flowers planted along the LID parking lot. LID techniques allow for infiltration of all stormwater onsite. Stormwater from our 0.4 acres of impervious asphalt will sheet flow into adjacent bioretention cells for treatment, evapotranspiration, flow attenuation, and storage prior to infiltration.

Standing water in the parking lot before the LID project.

arrow


Before project:

All runoff from the impervious asphalt went directly into the creek tributary untreated.

The creek that runoff from the parking lot flows into.

The finished LID parking lot after construction

After project:

Stormwater infiltrates through permeable pavements and rain gardens to be treated before entering groundwater.

Created with these partners
Logos of the Washington State Department of Ecology, 2020 Engineering, Fisher & Sons General Contractors, and eccosDesigns.