Who Might be Involved in GSI design?

Community engagement can play a pivotal role in GSI, increasing success by ensuring projects are aligned with community preferences, existing conditions, and community capacity. Community engagement occurs at every step of the design process, working to establish ongoing engagement through convening meetings and engaging participants though a variety of activities. One foundational task is assessing community capacity, such as commitment to and capacity for GSI planning, implementation, and maintenance. For an example assessment of community capacity, see Municipal Capacity.

When selecting a site location, community engagement can be used to build a common understanding between local officials, stormwater professionals, and residents to improve siting decisions. Through the use of maps at community meetings or in surveys, residents can share their flooding experiences and can start a dialog with stormwater managers. Siting can also benefit from participants’ engagement in previous, related planning processes (stormwater, open space, watershed, sustainability, land use) to ensure continuity in the community’s vision and efforts.

Site soils sampling and analysis requires coordinating soils researchers and technicians with community leaders and others regarding approvals, access, permission, and dates for soil sampling. Site visits and soils field work can be coordinated with community soils education. The sizing tool can be used in community engagement to explore how native soils influence GSI performance relative to other design variables and actively involve community groups, decision-makers, and residents in the design process.

Community engagement is useful in the process of scaling GSI to assess community use of the proposed project area(s) (the streetscape, shared public land, and private parcels), determine the potential for private land to be part of the GSI design scenario. discuss design options with property owners (replacing turf with rain gardens, replacing parking pads and lanes with permeable pavers) and gather general community input into the design scenarios.

As the project is implemented, community engagement can be used to support ongoing GSI education, funding partnerships, and training opportunities, particularly in relation to long-term maintenance. In sum, harnessing local knowledge can benefit all stages of GSI design, from understanding lived on-the-ground flooding experiences to site location decisions, and involvement in long-term maintenance. To learn more see Engagement.

In addition to runoff reduction, GSI also provides a range of co-benefits, such as improved human and ecosystem health (GSI Benefits). Ecologists have a role to play in design projects with stated ecosystem service performance goals, as well as in projects undertaking coordinated GSI siting at scale that aim to incorporate ecological knowledge in choosing GSI locations.

Involving ecological knowledge in GSI projects is needed to fully understand any ecosystem service co-benefits actually provided by these projects. One approach is for designers to collaborate with researchers to assess the performance of GSI installations in relation to stated co-benefits. Education, outreach, and research activities that build bridges between ecologists and urban planners, landscape architects, and engineers can also help bring ecologists into urban projects.

To learn more about the ecosystem services (co-benefits) provided by Green Infrastructure, visit Benefits Guidance.

Economists can use welfare economics to understand how investments in stormwater infrastructure benefit society and how these benefits are distributed. Environmental economists can estimate values for which no market prices exist, such as water quality, so that these values can be incorporated into decision making.

A fuller accounting of the complete suite of benefits provided by GSI is useful for cost benefit analysis, and an understanding of which project investments will be most beneficial to communities. Economists can also provide cost-effectiveness analysis, to determine which project will achieve a specific targeted objective (gallons of stormwater runoff managed, pollution reduced) at the lowest cost. Economic research can also provide insights into market mechanisms and incentives that can be used for green infrastructure financing and long-term maintenance.

Other social science research can be helpful in understanding the behavioral patterns that influence green infrastructure adoption and long-term maintenance, as well as qualitative values of GSI.

To learn more about the ecosystem services (co-benefits) provided by GSI, visit Benefits Guidance.

Because civil engineers are responsible for the design and implementation of stormwater infrastructure, they potentially have a large role in GSI. While the role of GSI in the civil engineering field is still evolving, recognition is growing that, in addition to traditional ‘gray’ stormwater infrastructure (pipes, retention ponds), GSI can be part of the stormwater management solution.

Engineering expertise is needed to model GSI design performance and estimate implementation costs.

Environmental consultants have many and broad potential roles to play in GSI design, including: ensuring projects meet regulatory guidelines, assisting in planning, ensuring projects are safely implemented, and otherwise providing needed expertise (geographic information systems, horticultural/ecological/soils, land acquisition, engineering/economic assessments) that may be missing in-house for communities.

Land grant colleges and universities, including the University of Illinois, have an Extension mission, in addition to teaching and research. Extension aims to translate university research into actions that serve communities. In this capacity, University of Illinois Extension educators and specialists support community green infrastructure programs across the state by providing education, program, and technical assistance. Examples of this work include Stormwater@Home, the Rainscaping program, and the Red Oak Rain Garden.

If you are an Extension educator or specialist, the Green Infrastructure Community of Practice (GI CoP) is an Extension-Sea Grant collaboration to support outreach professionals advancing community stormwater management and green infrastructure practices. The team focuses on professionals in the North Central Regional Water Network and the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, but welcomes those outside of the region to join. Join the GI COP here.

Facilitation expertise is important for community engagement to achieve clear outcomes across diverse groups working toward a shared goal. Community engagement has a role to play at each step in the GSI design process.

The NOAA Office for Coastal Management offers a training course in facilitation basics and an online Facilitation Basics training manual.

One challenge to GSI is a lack of dedicated financing and funding. The community finance department and others with expertise in finance, economics, and accounting can help craft solutions. While some communities have established, dedicated stormwater utilities, most communities do not have a dedicated source of funds for stormwater management and must develop funding and financing solutions for GSI, such as credit trading programs, for example, StormStore.

In the initial stages of GSI design, it’s beneficial to involve Geographical Information System (GIS) specialists to represent information visually. GIS expertise is also helpful for performing GSI siting tasks, including spatial analysis to identify potential site locations. An example of a GIS-driven visualization tool is ESRI Building Green Infrastructure in the U.S. The NOAA Office of Coastal Management has also developed a Green Infrastructure Mapping Guide for spatial analysts.

Government agencies might be involved in GSI by providing design guidelines, funding, and partnerships. Agencies may use regulations to require or encourage GSI. Involving agency representatives in the GSI design process can be critical for raising awareness of regulations and permitting requirements.

For example, at the national level, EPA provides suggestions for incorporating green infrastructure into municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) permits (see Compendium of MS4 Permitting Approaches). The Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative provides a platform for federal agencies with shared GSI objectives.

At the state level, Illinois EPA has assessed the role of GSI in stormwater management and made recommendations (Using Green Infrastructure to Manage Urban Stormwater Quality: A Review of Selected Practices and State Programs), leading to establishment of the Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities (GIGO) program.

Stormwater utilities established by local governments (municipal, county, regional) may provide GSI design guidance to meet regulatory requirements and recommendations.

Because the installation, maintenance, and inspection of GSI is critical to its long-term success, involving those who ultimately have stewardship over it is important at each project stage. In the initial planning stages, assessing the capacity of public works personnel to perform long-term GSI maintenance will help avoid failures from lack of maintenance. The siting of GSI may also influence maintenance in terms of dovetailing this maintenance with other routine public works activities. It may also be necessary to coordinate grounds keeping across multiple properties and for multiple purposes for large scale GSI projects.

Knowledge of plants, trees, and ecological connections is critical throughout the GSI design process. Horticulturists can help ensure that the plants chosen are suitable for the project location, considering factors such as sun or shade conditions, frequency of maintenance, timing of blooms, natives, and pollinator attraction. (You can also use our plant finder to help choose plants.) When trees are part of the site location, arborists can share knowledge of how to install plants without damaging existing tree root system, and, when new trees are part of the installation, which tree species are best suited for the site. Restoration specialists have a role to play in understanding the predevelopment site conditions and how to best restore the site to conditions mimicking the natural hydrology.

Proper initial selection and ongoing care of living materials can help avoid expensive course corrections later in the life of the GSI installation.

Hydrologists, geologists, soil scientist, geotechnical engineers, and similar experts can assist in the analysis of existing site characteristics and conditions. This includes hydrologic, hydraulic, water quality, and soils evaluations to understand the hydrogeologic characteristics that will influence the GSI performance. Site locations that provide maximum ecosystem services—including groundwater recharge, water quality protection, soils infiltration, and streams, rivers, wetlands and lakes baseflow for communities—can be identified.

The role of installers in GSI, including construction crews, volunteers, public works personnel, groundskeepers, property owners, and others, is important. GSI may be integrated into other stormwater management projects, and require pre- and post-construction permits to meet applicable regulations. It is necessary to ensure that design specifications, regulatory standards, worker safety regulations, local ordinances, and permit conditions are all met during the installation process. Communities will often work with consulting firms to install GSI, and project coordination and oversight is necessary to ensure that installation is performed in accordance with project requirements and objectives.

Green stormwater infrastructure implementation at scale that optimizes runoff reduction is likely to require land management. Typically, the objectives of regional stormwater infrastructure planning include achieving pre-development conditions, revitalizing land, and dovetailing with open-space and watershed planning efforts. Achieving stormwater management goals may require property acquisition, easements, or other agreements with landowners, and require expertise in these areas.

Landscape architects play a pivotal role in GSI, and are likely to be in a leadership position for design projects and facilitating processes and planning. It is helpful to have landscape architecture expertise to create or render drawings using AutoCAD or a similar software to visualize and communicate potential GSI site locations. Assistance from a landscape architect is recommended to ensure the selected design options best fit the site, and to create design scenarios and diagrams that distribute the GSI practices across the project area.

Entering into funding or contractual agreements, land acquisition or easement, and other actions necessary for green infrastructure implementation requires legal counsel. Establishing a dedicated source of funding, such as a stormwater utility, or a credit trading program, also requires legal expertise.

It may also be necessary to revise codes and local ordinances to remove barriers to green infrastructure. Wisconsin Sea Grant has developed guidance on  conducting An Audit of Municipal Codes and Ordinances to Tackle Barriers to Green Infrastructure.

Because stormwater management program authority is granted to local governments by the State of Illinois, involving representatives from local government is critical to GSI design and planning. This includes involving all units of local government (township, county, municipality, conservation district, watershed district, watershed management organization, or other public entity) that have permitting authority.  A familiarity with county stormwater ordinances and associated GSI design manuals (in the counties for which Illinois has granted the authority to develop them) as well as with municipal ordinances is important to the design process. Representatives from economic and community development departments, county and municipal engineers, and others are typically granted oversight for administering local government stormwater ordinances and programs.

Non-profit, advocacy, community organizations have a role to play in green stormwater infrastructure promotion, partnering, and leadership. These organizations are sometimes the primary drivers of GSI projects, adding capacity, funding, and leadership to community initiatives.

Planners play a pivotal role in green stormwater infrastructure, and are likely to be in a leadership position for facilitating GSI processes and planning. Planning is critical at all stages of the project, for convening and facilitating stormwater planning process participants, assessing community capacity, conducting an existing conditions analysis, coordinating related planning processes (stormwater, open space, watershed, sustainability, land use), in spatial mapping analysis for siting, and bringing solutions to the table during implementation.

Property managers and property owners may be granted ownership of GSI installation, and therefore be responsible for long-term maintenance. Non-residential property owners may be required to meet applicable stormwater management regulations, and install GSI or engage in runoff banking credit markets to meet these requirements. Community utilities may offer private property owners rebates or other incentives to install and maintain GSI on their property. When a stormwater utility exists, property owners may be required to pay a fee in accordance with the impervious area and runoff generated by their property, and be able to reduce this fee by installing GSI and reducing the impervious area and runoff on their property.

Implementation of GSI can be driven by federal regulatory programs such as National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System MS4 permits, and CSO permits, an authority delegated to state regulators, Illinois EPA, as well as state and local regulations.

GSI may be required as part of a consent decree permit enforcement action driven by federal environmental regulation ( The Clean Water Act). Regulatory and permitting specialists therefore have a role to play in ensuring that project meet applicable regulatory guidelines.

Agencies tasked with stormwater management, regulatory oversight over stormwater, and industry professional organizations and other non-profit entities involved in stormwater issues may do in-house research, and/or team up with researchers at universities and private industry. Research is relevant to the performance of green stormwater infrastructure, the impacts on human health and the environment, economic and financial incentives, and more. The design process of this website provides an example of integrating university research into GSI design.

Soils provide the foundation of green stormwater infrastructure performance. Lack of knowledge of urban soils characteristics and the poor condition of urban soils has been cited as a barrier to GSI implementation. Soils labs offer services both to determine the characteristics of existing soils, and the needs of engineered soils, as well as for testing native soils characteristics (see Why are soils important in GSI Design?).

Land surveying may be required by regulation prior to GSI construction, which may include taking soils borings and performing permeability tests. This information is important to determine soil characteristics, soil permeability rates, and depths to groundwater table. Procedures for these tests may be specified in stormwater manuals accompanying regulations.