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Welcome to the Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Practice Planning and Design Guide

The Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Planning and Design Guide (LID SWM Guide) has been developed by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) as a tool to help developers, consultants, municipalities and landowners understand and implement more sustainable stormwater management planning and design practices in their watersheds. Many jurisdictions have defined the term low impact development. For this document, the following definition, adapted from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA, 2007) will be used:

Low impact development (LID) is a stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased runoff and stormwater pollution by managing runoff as close to its source as possible. LID comprises a set of site design strategies that minimize runoff and distributed, small scale structural practices that mimic natural or predevelopment hydrology through the processes of infiltration, evapotranspiration, harvesting, filtration and detention of stormwater. These practices can effectively remove nutrients, pathogens and metals from runoff, and they reduce the volume and intensity of stormwater flows.

Definitions

CONTENTS

   INTRODUCTION TO THE LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND DESIGN GUIDE

About this Document
   Acknowledgements
   Definition of Low Impact Development
Ontario Stormwater Management Manuals and Guides
Ontario Legislative Framework Related to Stormwater Management
The Evolution of Stormwater Management in Ontario

Principles of Low Impact Development

   INTEGRATING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS

Overview of Integrating Stormwater Management Into the Planning Process
   Landscape-based Stormwater Management Planning Process and Team
      Environmental, Land Use and Stormwater Management Planning
Integrating Stormwater Infrastructure Into the Urban Fabric and the Landscape
   Landscape-based SWM Planning and Design Principles
   Landscape-based stromwater planning in accord with site geologic context
   Landscape-based Stormwater Management Planning at Different Scales
      Stormwater Management Opportunities at the Community Scale
      Stormwater Management Opportunities at the Neighbourhood Scale
      Stormwater Management Opportunities at the Site Scale
      Stormwater Management Opportunities for Infill and Redevelopment Sites
Treatment Train Approach to Stormwater Management System Design

Influence of Stormwater Source Area on Treatment Train Design

   URBANIZATION, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

Principles of Low Impact Development
The Impact of Urbanization and CC and how Low Impact Development can Help (Interdisciplinary section)
   Flooding and Stream Flows
      Environmental Flows
   Erosion and Sedimentation (Geomorphology)
   Surface and Groundwater Water Quality
   Aquatic Habitats (incl. thermal impacts)
   Terrestrial
   Hydrodeology
   Climate Change
   Landscape and Recreation
Climate Change Resiliency through Stormwater Management
   Climate Change in Ontario
   Anticipated Impacts of Climate Change in Ontario
   Enhancing Climate Change Resiliency With LID
   Examples of LID Strategies to Enhance Climate Change Resiliency
   Factoring Predicted Climate Change into Stormwater Infrastructure Design
Low Impact Development Site Design Strategies
Adapting Structural Low Impact Development Practices for Ontario
   Cold Climates
   Low permeability soils
   High density development
The Low Impact Development Design Process (Screening Section)
   Design Principles for Flood Control
   Design Principles for Nutrient Management

   Modelling Treatment Train
Costs and Benefits of Low Impact Development Approaches

   DESIGN OF STRUCTURAL LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Bioretention

   Overview
   Design Guidance
   BMP Sizing
   Design Specifications
   Construction Considerations
   Inspection and Maintenance Needs
   Life Cycle Costs
   Case Studies
   Typical Design Drawings
   Supporting Material and External Resources

Service Two

   MONITORING OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Monitoring
   Compliance Monitoring
   Performance Monitoring
   Environmental Effects Monitoring

   TOOLS   

Life Cycle Costing Tool

Planting Guide Tool

HOT TOPICS

<h4Blue>Common concerns about groundwater interaction</h4Blue>

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<h4Blue>Infiltration on tight soils: it's possible!</h4Blue>

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<h4Blue>Water-loving perennials</h4Blue>

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<h4Blue>Budgeting for a BMP's life cycle</h4Blue>

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<h4Blue>Tendering for LIDs</h4Blue>

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<h4Blue>Maintaining BMPs</h4Blue>

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BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

BIORETENTION

PERMEABLE PAVEMENT

UNDERGROUND INFILTRATION SYSTEMS

RAINWATER HARVESTING

ENHANCED GRASS SWALES

GREEN ROOFS

ABSORBENT LANDSCAPES

NON-STRUCTURAL BMPs

SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT THIS PAGE

Low impact development is a stormwater management and land development strategy applied at the parcel and subdivision scale that emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features integrated with engineered, small scale hydrologic controls to more closely mimic pre-development hydrologic functions.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Stormwater Management

Credit Valley Conservation

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

The portion of water precipitated onto a catchment area, which then flows as surface discharge from the catchment area past a specified point.

Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the land surface.

The slow movement of water into or through a soil or drainage system.

Penetration of water through the ground surface.

The quantity of water transpired (given off). Retained in plant tissues, and evaporated from plant tissues and surrounding soil surfaces. Quantitatively it is usually expressed in terms of depth of water per unit area during a specified period. e.g. mm/day

The combined loss of water to the atmosphere from land and water surfaces by evaporation and from plants by transpiration.

The technique of removing pollutants from runoff as it infiltrates through the soil.

The temporary storage of stormwater to control discharge rates, and allow for sedimentation.

Surface runoff from at-grade surfaces, resulting from rain or snowmelt events.

Best management practice. State of the art methods or techniques used to manage the quantity and improve the quality of wet weather flow. BMPs include: source, conveyance and end-of-pipe controls.