A I™	United States
I	Environmental Protection
¦5: jt i - ¦ | % Agency
EPA EPA 903-K-17-001
June 2017
STORM SMART SCHOOLS
A Guide to Integrate Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Meet
Regulatory Compliance and Promote Environmental Literacy

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Acknowledgments
The Storm Smart Schools Guide was made possible through the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Making a Visible Difference in Communities initiative technical assistance services. This
guide is a product of a year-long collaboration between EPA Region III, the Virginia Newport News Public
Schools (NNPS), and the City of Newport News'Departments of Engineering and Public Works.
Lead Project Stakeholders:
Pennie Boyack | Environmental Health & Safety Supervisor | NNPS
Kerri Carpenter | Sustainability & Conservation Specialist | NNPS
Randy Davis | Landscape Supervisor | NNPS
Jeanna Henry| Watershed Coordinator | EPA Region III
Joseph Grist | Environmental Compliance Administrator | Dept. of Engineering | City of Newport News
Elizabeth Ottinger | NPDES Permits | EPA Region III
Jennifer Privette | Sustainability Manager | Dept. of Public Works | City of Newport News
Dr. Lorna Rosenberg | Green Schools Coordinator | EPA Region III
Kelly Somers | Physical Scientist | EPA Region III
Keith Webb | Executive Director of Plant Services | NNPS
Kyle Zieba | NPDES Enforcement | EPA Region III
Extended Support From:
Morgan Altizer | Intern | City of Newport News
Jacob G. Andrus | STEM Instructional Specialist | NNPS
Louis Bott | Environmental Services Manager | Dept. of Engineering | City of Newport News
Raquel Cox | Principal | Sedgefield Elementary School | NNPS
Dr. Jonathan Essoka | Making a Visible Difference in Communities Coordinator | EPA Region III
Laurie Fox | Horticulture Associate | Hampton Roads AREC | Virginia Tech
Dominique Lueckenhoff | Acting Director | Water Protection Division (WPD) | EPA Region III
Tammie Organski | City GIS, Information Technology | City of Newport News
Michelle Price-Fay | Associate Director |Office of State and Watershed Partnerships | EPA Region III
Denise Rigney | Contract Officer Representative | Water Protection Division (WPD) | EPA Region III
Allison Watts | Environmental Specialist | Dept. of Engineering | City of Newport News
EPA Region III Contract Support
CSRAInc.
Low Impact Development Center, Inc.
n
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Contents
Acknowledgments	ii
Foreword	iv
Introduction	1
Purpose	2
Guide Objectives	2
Background	3
Understanding the Issues and Requirements	3
Six Minimum Control Measures	4
What is the Connection to Schools?	5
Why Green Infrastructure?	6
Example Green Infrastructure Practices	7
Eight Steps to a Storm Smart School	8
Step 1: Get Organized	8
Step 2: Develop a Plan of Action	11
Step 3: Identity Selection Criteria	13
Step 4: Prepare A Concept Design	14
Step 5: Secure Funding and Gather Resources	16
Step 6: Build It!	17
Step 7: Champion It	18
Step 8: Maintain it!	19
Step and Repeat	20
References	21
Glossary	21
Where to Learn More	23
Green Infrastructure	23
Planning and Design	23
Lesson Plans and Activities	26
General Resources	27
Appendix: Newport News Field Assessment Criteria	28
CONTENTS

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Foreword
Public health and environmental impacts affect
people most significantly where they live—
at the community level. Many of the United
States Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA's) programs focus on providing support
to communities, especially in environmentally
overburdened, underserved, and economically
distressed areas, which have the greatest needs.
EPA's Making a Visible Difference in Communities
initiative selected the City of Newport News,
Virginia as one of many communities nationwide
to receive assistance. Additionally, the Clean
Water Act (CWA) requires the City of Newport
News to manage stormwater through their
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
permit. Managing Stormwater by integrating
green infrastructure practices on schools grounds
provides local governments an opportunity to
meet CWA and MS4 requirements and achieve
other benefits.
Newport News agreed to work with EPA on
a Green School Grounds project focused on
green infrastructure practices for stormwater
management on school grounds while
incorporating environmental literacy. EPA
provided technical assistance to the City
of Newport News and the Newport News
Public Schools (NNPS) to capture the process,
information, and decisions necessary for
evaluating and selecting school grounds for
the installation of green infrastructure best
management practices (BMPs).
The City of Newport News and the NNPS,
in conjunction with EPA Region III, selected
Sedgefield Elementary as the demonstration
site. EPA Region III assisted NNPS and the City of
Newport News with organizing a community-
based design charrette at the elementary
Image courtesy Sedgefield Elementary,
Newport News, Virginia
school. The charrette resulted in the creation
of a conceptual site plan that uses green
infrastructure practices to address stormwater
issues at Sedgefield Elementary. NNPS
incorporated outdoor learning into this process,
which provided an opportunity to support
environmental literacy for students of all ages.
This guide serves several purposes. It:
Captures the approach used to identify and
select a school and the green infrastructure
BMPs used at the school to manage
stormwater;
Is a resource to community stakeholders,
local governments and schools to address
the multiple aspects of the process, including
planning, design, construction, operation and
maintenance, and ongoing stewardship of
green infrastructure BMPs; and
Provides a "how to" focused on school
grounds to use green infrastructure BMPs to
meet regulatory requirements, protect public
health and the environment, and provide
multiple community and educational benefits.
FOREWORD

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Introduction
Local governments throughout the United States
struggle to meet stormwater management
requirements. Stormwater runoff is a leading cause
of water pollution in urban and suburban areas
due to the high percentage of impervious surfaces
such as roadways, parking lots, and rooftops.
When it rains, stormwater washes over these
surfaces, picking up sediment, oil and grease,
heavy metals, bacteria, trash, and other pollutants
from the urban landscape (EPA 2003). This
runoff flows into stormwater collection systems
and discharges into local streams, negatively
impacting water quality in the local watershed.
Stormwater runoff also contributes to localized
flooding and flooding around waterways.
EPA recognizes the need for innovative and
cost effective solutions to manage stormwater
runoff and improve water quality to meet
federal Clean Water Act (CWA) goals. School
grounds present unique opportunities for on-
site stormwater management. Public school
systems or departments of education typically
own or manage large amounts of public land in
any given community. Impervious surfaces such
as rooftops, basketball courts, bus loops, and
parking areas often cover a large percentage of
a school's site. Additionally, school sites often
have open or underutilized space. Land owned
by the public school system, such as sports fields,
may contribute pollutants, such as fertilizer, that
discharge through stormwater runoff.These sites
provide opportunities for Best Management
Practices (BMPs) installation and/or stormwater
retrofits to improve stormwater treatment.
The Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) system
in the City of Newport News, Virginia, is the
largest school system on the Virginia Peninsula.
Over the past year, the city and NNPS worked
together to identify ways to incorporate green
infrastructure at schools to manage stormwater
runoff, reduce localized flooding events, and
provide enhanced recreational amenities and
aesthetic improvements to their school grounds.
They also used the opportunity to integrate green
infrastructure into the school curriculum.
"Green infrastructure uses vegetation,
soils, and other elements and practices
to restore some of the natural processes
required to manage water and create
healthier urban environments. At the city
or county scale, green infrastructure is a
patchwork of natural areas that provides
habitat, flood protection, cleaner air, and
cleaner water. At the neighborhood or site
scale, stormwater management systems
that mimic nature soak up and store water."
—EPA, 2016b
This step-by-step guide is the result of an
approach that NNPS and the City of Newport
News Virginia used to identify school grounds
to help meet stormwater management
requirements for its Phase I Municipal Separate
Storm Sewer System (MS4) National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit
and address localized flooding issues. NNPS and
the City of Newport News Virginia identified key
steps to follow when installing green stormwater
infrastructure on school grounds while
incorporating environmental literacy goals.These
steps include 1) creating a vision by engaging
stakeholders and the community, 2) establishing
a plan of action, 3) evaluating school sites, 4)
preparing a concept, 5) identifying funding
sources, 6) building it, 7) championing it, and 8)
maintaining it. We call these the'Storm Smart
Steps." (See page 8, Eight Steps to a Storm Smart
School.)
The Where to Learn More section of this guide
identifies additional resources to help the reader
through each step in the process.The resources
include links to model tools that help integrate
regulatory compliance, green infrastructure
concepts, and environmental literacy into a
project or focus area. This guide demonstrates
a process by which city government, school
facility operators, administrators, and educators
work together to improve water quality while
providing students, parents, and teachers with the
knowledge and skills to act responsibly to protect
and restore their local watershed.
INTRODUCTION
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STORM SMART SCHOO LS
Purpose
This guide provides a series of Storm Smart
Steps that local governments, schools and other
community stakeholders can follow to identify
school grounds and integrate green infrastructure
into projects and/or a program to achieve
regulatory compliance, manage storm water,
and improve environmental literacy. There is no
one-size-fits-all solution, and this guide provides
an example of how one community in EPA's Mid-
Atlantic Region applied the Storm Smart Steps.
Incorporating green infrastructure practices on
school grounds helps improve local and regional
water quality by capturing, retaining, and/or
infiltrating rain where it falls.This reduces the
amount of pollution entering local streams,
rivers, and other water bodies. Stormwater
projects that incorporate green infrastructure
on school grounds provide the community
an often-overlooked opportunity for local
stormwater officials, school facilities staff, and
educators to engage children and adults with
the environmental problems associated with
stormwater runoff in their communities. The
Storm Smart Schools guide identifies the key
components to establish and maintain successful
partnerships between local governments, school
facilities staff, and educators.
Guide Objectives
Encourage partnerships between local
governments, public school systems and the
community.
Connect K-12 educational curriculums with
green infrastructure and stormwater to
support environmental literacy.
Facilitate green infrastructure opportunities
on school grounds.
Engage students with long-term stewardship
of green infrastructure.
Increase compliance with stormwater
regulations and requirements.

A&js
Image courtesy Sedgefeld Elementary, Newport News, Virginia
PURPOSE

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Background
Understanding the Issues and
Requirements
Stormwater management is essential for healthy
communities in the 21st century. Without it,
pollution entering local water bodies and the
risk of flooding increases. Stormwater runoff
is one of the largest sources of water pollution
in urban and suburban areas. It presents many
environmental, social, and economic challenges.
Rain and snowmelt that flows over land or
impervious surfaces, such as paved streets,
parking lots, and building rooftops, does not
soak into the ground and generates stormwater
runoff. The runoff picks up pollutants like
trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that
harm rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters.
These pollutants directly impact water quality.
Population growth and expanding urban/
urbanized areas significantly contribute to the
amount of pollutants in the runoff as well as
the volume and rate of runoff from impervious
surfaces. Urban areas often use MS4s to
transport stormwater runoff and then discharge
it, untreated, into local water bodies. Owned by a
state, city, town, village, or other public entity, an
MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances
(e.g., storm drains, pipes, and ditches) used to
collect or convey stormwater to waters of the
U.S. It is not a combined sewer and it is not part
of a sewage treatment plant or publically owned
treatment works.
Prior to the 1980s, the importance of treating
stormwater runoff was not fully recognized.
When passed in 1972, the CWA's primary
emphasis was to reduce the amount of pollution
discharging into waterways from wastewater
treatment plants and industrial facilities.
By the 1980s, regulators and others began
to understand the importance of treating
stormwater runoff from farmland, city streets,
construction sites, and suburban lawns. In 1987,
Congress amended the CWA, which spurred new
regulations and programs with requirements for
different sized communities.
This landscape's dry stream bed collects and routes
stormwater to rain gardens and a 1,400-gallon pond.
Issued in 1990, EPA established Phase I of
the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) MS4 regulations requiring MS4
operators serving populations of 100,000 or
more to develop comprehensive stormwater
management programs to reduce the discharge
of pollutants from their storm sewer systems. In
1999, EPA extended regulations to cover smaller
communities, known as Phase II MS4s. Phase II
MS4 regulations apply to communities located
in urbanized areas as defined by the Bureau of
Census or on a case-by-case basis by the NPDES
permitting authority. Phase II requires smaller
entities that operate MS4s in urban areas to
obtain NPDES permits, individual NPDES permits
generally cover Phase I MS4s and general NPDES
permits cover Phase II MS4s. NPDES permits for
regulated MS4s require permittees to develop
a stormwater management program (SWMP),
which describes the stormwater control practices
that the permittee implements to comply with
permit requirements and minimize the discharge
of pollutants from the sewer system. Phase II
permit holders must implement six minimum
control measures to reduce polluted stormwater
runoff.Together, the Phase I and Phase II
regulations aim to keep harmful pollutants out
of local waterbodies.
The City of Newport News manages their MS4
system under a Phase I permit. As such, the city
must have an SWMP.
BACKGROUND
3

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Six Minimum Control Measures
Public Education and Outreach to distribute learning materials and personally inform citizens
about the impact polluted storrnwater runoff has on water quality.
Public Involvement/Participation to provide for citizen representation in program development
and implementation.
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges to
the storm sewer system and enforce penalties, where appropriate.
Construction Site Runoff Controls to control sediment and erosion from construction sites for any
construction activities that disturb 1 acre or more of earth.
Post-Construction Runoff Control to address the discharge of post-construction storrnwater runoff
from new development and redevelopment for any projects that disturb 1 acre or more of earth.
Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping methods and procedures to reduce polluted runoff
from municipal operations.
Green storrnwater infrastructure includes a wide range of approaches, including rain barrels, which catch rain water for plants
instead of running off into storm drains and streams.
BACKGROUND

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
What is the Connection to
Schools?
Schools play an essential role in public
education, involvement, and outreach efforts.
They serve as centers of learning and connect
neighbors to one another. Schools provide the
ability to combine environmental education with
environmental service-learning opportunities. In
addition to educating children, schools can serve
as a vital source of community education that
can support the NPDES permittees requirements
for public outreach and education.
Recognizing this, Virginia's Governor Terry
McAuliffe signed an executive order on April
22, 2015 to establish the Virginia Environmental
Literacy Channel. The purpose was to encourage
schools to engage students in meaningful
science and environmental education efforts,
including meaningful outdoor experiences
(Commonwealth of Virginia 2015). Education
agencies, natural resource agencies, and groups
such as the Virginia and National No Child
Left Inside Coalitions facilitate the creation of
environmental education plans at the state level.
The Spratley Gifted Center in Newport News, VA
is one example of how schools incorporate green
infrastructure stormwater management into
their curriculum. Fourth-graders at the school
helped install a rain garden in a grassy corner
outside their building, just across the driveway
from a storm drain. The rain garden slows the
flow of rainwater across Spratley's front driveway
and helps filter out pollutants that otherwise
would flow into the bay. Constructing the rain
garden enhanced the lessons the students
learned as they began their Virginia natural
resources unit (Hammond, 2016). Other possible
environmental service-learning opportunities
available to schools include conducting
neighborhood cleanups, planting trees, and
converting hard surfaces into school gardens,
pollinator gardens, and/or rain gardens.
\
Public Education
and Outreach
Construction Site
Runoff Controls
^ Use high-visibility school sites for
green infrastructure projects; include
educational signage and interpretation
S Use green infrastructure site for
outdoor classrooms, educational
events, and field trips
Illicit Discharge
Detection & Elimination
•f Use green infrastructure projects
to demonstrate proper sediment
and erosion controls to the school
community
S Have high school students
conduct follow-up inspections
* Develop informative brochures and
guidance for school curricula
S Coordinate school volunteers for
locating and visually inspecting
outfalls or to stencil storm drains
/ Involve schools and
Public
community groups ir
establishing stormwater
objectives and candidate
locations
V Use students and volunteer
labor to help with light
construction, planting, anc
mulching
Participation
and
Involvement
Pollution Prevention and
Good Housekeeping
¦* Use green infrastructure
projects to set good examples
for students, neighborhoods,
and communities
S Look for opportunities to install
appropriate green
infrastructure practices in
hotspot areas, such as vehicle
maintenance and school
grounds maintenance facilities
Post-Construction
Runoff Controls
* Have students and
volunteers adopt a green
nfrastructure project and
oversee light maintenance
S Have volunteers submit
reports on what they saw,
what they did, and if trash
was present
BACKGROUND

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
School lands also provide valuable opportunities
for an NPDES permittee to implement
stormwater management practices and/
or retrofit areas to meet current permit
requirements. Prior to the late 1980s, school
construction and other developments often did
not include stormwater controls. The average
age of school buildings in the NNPS system is 50
years; therefore, the majority of school grounds
lack existing on-site stormwater management.
Additionally, stormwater management
techniques and BMPs evolved over time, and
we now have a better understanding of how to
manage and use stormwater. In the 1980s and
1990s, large structures, such as manmade ponds,
managed stormwater for flood protection. BMPs,
such as green infrastructure and low impact
development techniques, manage stormwater
on-site and mimic natural conditions. Many
newer NPDES permits require retrofitting
existing unmanaged and/or inadequately
managed stormwater runoff. Hie permit may
specify that the permit holder reduce the
amount of untreated impervious surface area,
reduce specific pollutant loads to nearby
waterways, or require other measures to improve
water quality.
Typically, a Phase I NPDES permit issued to a
municipal government coversall areas within
the jurisdictional boundary, which includes
those areas served by or otherwise contributing
to discharges from the jurisdiction's MS4. This
includes municipally-owned properties such as
city buildings, libraries, parks, and schools. Phase
II MS4 permits can be issued to a municipality
or individual campus-type institutions such as
military bases, colleges/universities, hospitals,
etc. A municipality's MS4 permit may include
school grounds, or, in some instances, a school
system might have its own NPDES MS4 permit.
Prince William County Public Schools and the
Stafford County School Board are examples of
school systems in Virginia that hold their own
Phase II NPDES permits. For the example used in
this guide, the City of Newport News Phase I MS4
permit includes the NNPS.
Why Green Infrastructure?
In addition to providing a cost-effective and
resilient approach to managing wet weather
impacts, Green infrastructure provides many
community benefits. Single-purpose gray
stormwater infrastructures—conventional
piped drainage and water treatment systems—
move urban stormwater away from the built
environment. Green infrastructure reduces and
treats stormwater at its source while delivering
environmental, social, and economic benefits.
These benefits include improving water
quality and helping communities stretch their
infrastructure investments further.
Given their connection in the community,
existing stormwater management challenges,
and the opportunity to incorporate education,
school grounds provide an excellent opportunity
to meet a number of MS4s regulatory
requirements.
Techniques such as rain gardens, like this one in the High
Point neighborhood in Seattle, WA, retain stormwater runoff
which can help reduce peak flooding.
6
BACKGROUND

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Example Green Infrastructure Practices
Bioswales - Bioswales are vegetated, mulched, or xeriscaped channels that provide
stormvvater treatment and retention as it moves from one place to another. Vegetated
swales slow, infiltrate, and filter stormwater flows. As linear features, they are
particularly well suited to being placed along streets and parking lots.
Permeable Pavements - Permeable pavements infiltrate, treat, and/or store rainwater
where it falls. They can be made of pervious concrete, porous asphalt, or permeable
interlocking pavers. This practice could be particularly cost effective where land values
are high and flooding or icing is a problem.
Green Roofs - Green roofs are covered with growing media and vegetation that
enable rainfall infiltration and evapotranspiration of stored water. They are particularly
cost-effective in dense urban areas where land values and stormwater management
costs are likely to be high.
Urban Tree Canopy-Trees reduce and slow stormwater by intercepting precipitation
in their leaves and branches. Many cities have set tree canopy goals to restore some
of the benefits of trees that were lost when the areas were developed. Homeowners,
businesses, and community groups can participate in planting and maintaining trees
throughout the urban environment.
Downspout Disconnect - This simple practice reroutes rooftop drainage pipes
from draining rainwater into the storm sewer to draining it into rain barrels, cisterns,
or permeable areas. It can be used to store stormwater and/or allow stormwater to
infiltrate into the soil.
Rainwater Harvesting - Rainwater harvesting systems collect and store rainfall for
later use. When designed appropriately, they slow and reduce runoff and provide a
source of water. This practice is particularly valuable in arid regions, where it could
reduce demands on increasingly limited water supplies.
Rain Gardens - Rain gardens are versatile features that can be installed in almost any
unpaved space. Also known as bioretention, or micro-bioretention cells, these shallow,
vegetated basins collect and absorb runoff from rooftops, sidewalks, and streets.
This practice mimics natural hydrology by infiltrating, evaporating, and transpiring
stormwater runoff.
Planter Boxes - Planter boxes are urban rain gardens with vertical walls and either
open or closed bottoms. They collect and absorb runoff from roofs, sidewalks, parking
lots, and streets and are ideal for space-limited school sites in dense urban areas.
For more information, see Where to Learn More (pages 23-27) or visit
www.epa.gov/areen-infrastructure.
BACKGROUND

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Eight Steps to a Storm
Smart School
Maintain it!
Secure Funding and
Gather Resources
Prepare a Concept Design
Identify Selection Criteria
Develop a Plan of Action
Get Organized
Many strategies exist to help local
governments and public school systems
manage stormwater runoff and educate
students and surrounding communities.The
eight steps below guide communities as
they integrate green infrastructure in various
phases of a project, including planning,
design, construction, funding, and operation
and maintenance. The City of Newport News
used these eight steps to identify, evaluate,
and select a school for this project.
Champion it!
Step 1: Get Organized
Successful development and implementation
of on-site green infrastructure stormwater
management largely depends on community
commitment and involvement. It is critical
to build partnerships with key stakeholders
and interested parties at the outset.
Stakeholders that participate in the decision-
making process are more willing to share in
implementation. Including a diverse group of
people and organizations is important. Doing
so brings different talents, interests, concerns,
and values to the table. The knowledge,
experience, and perspectives of stakeholders
help ensure that the plan or program
development addresses or incorporates
critical issues or community concerns.
Identify and include all categories of potential
stakeholders at the project's start, not just those
who volunteer to participate. Do not forget
about those who can contribute resources
and assistance to the planning effort or those
who work on similar programs that can be
integrated into a larger effort. After identifying
key stakeholders, begin the process of engaging
each stakeholder. Keep in mind that stakeholders
are more likely to get involved if there is a clear
benefit to their participation.
After engaging stakeholders, plan and
coordinate a "Kick-Off Meeting"for everyone to
come together. Use the Kick-Off Meeting to focus
on the community's specific stormwater needs,
provide an understanding of the drivers and
requirements, and establish an organizational
structure for the group.
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INRRASTRUCTURE
How to Get Stakeholders Involved
Identify categories of stakeholders
Determine roles and responsibilities
Define a structure to facilitate
participation
Identify skills and resources
Identify benefits to stakeholders
Get commitments
Conduct outreach to build awareness
and support
City Dept. of
Engineering
NNPS Plant
Services Dept.
City Dept. of
Public Works
Stakeholders
Master
gardeners
Virginia Tech
and local
branches of
academia
Assistant City
Manager
NNPS principals,
teachers, students,
& parents
NNPS Curriculum
& Development
Begin by having a knowledgeable member—
such as the person responsible for stormwater
compliance—explain the community-specific
stormwater management requirements.
Identify the group's leader or co-leader(s)—
potentially one from the local government
and one from the public school system to
ensure engagement on both sides.
Discuss the group's structure. Depending
on the group's size, it may be appropriate
to develop a Steering Committee with sub-
committees that focus on different aspects
of the project (stormwater compliance,
educational curriculum around green
infrastructure practices, etc.).
Establish communication methods and a
process at the very beginning to ensure
everyone understands and has an equal
opportunity to participate. Ensure the
process includes methods for disseminating
information to and receiving feedback from
the group and community.
Determine a meeting schedule that
accommodates the group so that all
stakeholders are available. Consider having a
"core"group that meets more frequently, then
reports out and requests feedback, guidance,
and resources from the larger group.
Determine the need for a partnership
agreement, memorandums of understanding,
or other agreement between the public
school system and local government
agencies. This agreement describes how the
parties will work together to integrate green
infrastructure to design, build and maintain
the project. Some jurisdictions require these
types of agreements for the MS4 permittee
to meet permit requirements. It is important
to understand that a successful partnership
takes time to cultivate and a commitment to
maintain. Expect some highs and some lows
along the way.
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL
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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Lesson Learned from the City of
Newport News
The cooperative spirit that developed through
the Green Schools Ground Initiative provided
planning and implementation support to help
the City of Newport News staff comply with
their current NPDES MS4 Permit (effective July 1,
2016). In some areas in Virginia, such as Fairfax
and Stafford counties, the city/county and
school system each applies for a separate NPDES
permit In Newport News, the two municipal
entities work together under one NPDES permit
NNPS is a partner in compliance with the city,
meaning that the NNPS High Priority Municipal
Facilities will have Stormwater Pollution
Prevention Plans developed and maintained
under the same protocols and procedures as the
city's High Priority Municipal Facilities. Similarly,
any turf/landscaping nutrient management
plans and integrated pest management control
plans within the NNPS must meet the city's
MS4 Permit requirements. The city and NNPS
Stakeholders Involved in
Newport News
Many stakeholders helped identify green
infrastructure retrofit and educational
opportunities on school grounds in Newport
News, VA. City staff responsible for oversight
of the NPDES MS4 Phase I permit were a key
stakeholder. NNPS facilities management
staff has a personal interest in greening
and sustainability; flooding concerns partly
motivated this interest. EPA provided a
professional facilitator to help the group
accomplish its tasks.
formed a compliance partnership independently
ofthe Green Schools Initiative; however, the
partnership that evolved through this initiative
laid the foundation for broader discussions
between the city and NNPS about stormwater
and nutrient control.
Green roofs can reduce and slow stormwater runoff in the urban environment; they also filter pollutants from rainfall.
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Step 2: Develop a Plan of Action
After establishing a stakeholder group, it is
time to determine what the group collectively
wants to achieve/'Beg in with the end in mind"
(Stephen Covey, 1989); clearly articulating the
goals and objectives is essential for building
consensus and achieving success. A facilitator
can help guide the group through this process.
There are four essential tasks to developing
the group focus: 1) identifying the issues and
opportunities, 2) defining the problem(s), 3)
establishing achievable goals and objectives,
and 4) developing a plan.
Task 1: Identify Issues and
Opportunities
Identify the stakeholder group and community
partners'issues of concern, and identify
the available educational and stormwater
management opportunities.Those issues and
opportunities the group prioritizes as being the
most important should be the focus of what the
group wants to accomplish.
Developing a list of questions to ask ahead of
time helps identify the issues most important
to each member (see example questions in
the sidebar). Questions will vary depending on
whether the discussion is about implementation
at one school or an entire school system.
Prioritize significant issues that need urgent
action versus issues to address later.
A community's focus can be broad or specific. A
more specific focus might be the best option if
the community or school system has a priority
stormwater management issue (e.g., flooding)
that requires a greater level of effort and
resources, or if time and budget constraints
limit what can be achieved. For NNPS, localized
flooding at several schools was the overriding
concern.
How Do We Get Focused?
Identify and prioritize your stormwater
management issues
Define the problem
Create realistic goals and objectives
Develop a plan
Questions to Ask
What role does or should your school/
school system play in meeting your
community's stormwater management
objectives?
What are the stormwater- related
issues most affecting your school or
community?
What is currently being done about
them?
Are there any groups/areas that you feel
are not effectively serviced?
Are there underutilized areas on your
school property/properties that can be
utilized for stormwater management?
How much useable acreage does your
school need for modernization projects?
What environmental education links can
be made (such as water quality, climate
change, habitat, or biodiversity)?
What other initiatives can or should be
connected to this project?
Is your purpose to develop a pilot or
create a program?
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Task 2: Define the Problem
After identifying the issues and opportunities,
discuss the specific problems to address.
For instance, older school sites built prior to
the promulgation of the CWA stormwater
regulations (as in the case of NNPS) may lack
stormwater controls. Localized flooding is
an issue for Sedgefield Elementary, and the
specific problems identified included poor
drainage, excess ponding, and inadequate
storm drainage. Additionally, it is important to
recognize and discuss possible barriers to project
implementation.
Ask questions to 1) help evaluate and fine-tune
the rationale for the stormwater improvements
and 2) identify the information, resources, and
external support needed to implement the
stormwater management projects or program.
Some questions to ask include:
What is the situation now and what is the
desired future?
How severe is the problem and what are its
contributors?
Is there a project champion, such as a
principal, teacher, or parent?
Task 3: Create Goals and Objectives
After organizing a dedicated group of
stakeholders, identifying the issues, and
defining the problem, it is time to create goals
and objectives. The group must develop and
agree upon the goals and objectives; therefore,
stakeholder participation is essential.
People often use the terms'goals'and 'objectives'
interchangeably, but it is important to avoid
confusion and understand the difference. Goals
are the long-term project destination.They
should reflect the community-specific focus and
need to be attainable, realistic, and address all
stakeholders'vested interest. Objectives are the
road map that lays out all the steps the group
will take to achieve its goal. Projects may have
more than one goal, and there are often several
objectives for each goal.
For example, the group goal may focus on
creating a system-wide program that provides
multiple educational opportunities while
integrating functional green infrastructure
practices on school grounds. Alternatively, the
group may decide to begin with a pilot school
site to "test the waters" and build experience
before developing a program.
Goal:
Long-term
General
guidelines
Represent
community-
specific focus
(e.g., reduce
pollution by...)
Objectives:
Realistic
Measurable
Time-bound
Specifc
Achievable
Task 4: Develop Strategies
Develop strategies that clearly articulate
how the effort will meet the desired goals
and objectives. For each strategy, identify
the stakeholders'roles and responsibilities,
the resources each will bring to the table,
and how the group will communicate and
celebrate their accomplishments. As discussed
in Step 1, the public school system and other
local government agencies can establish
memorandums of understanding or agreements
that provide the framework of how each will
work together to plan, design, build, fund and
maintain the green infrastructure project(s).
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Step 3: Identify Selection Criteria
Now it is time to decide the selection criteria to
identify and prioritize project locations. Identify
the must-haves, nice-to-haves, and shall-nots.
For example, does the project:
Support community goals.
Reduce pollutants from entering local
waterways.
Support compliance with existing stormwater
requirements.
Advance learning and education.
Engage and benefit an underserved
community.
Reduce or have the potential to reduce
existing environmental problems.
The evaluation criteria varies depending on
the project goals and project types considered.
After identifying and agreeing upon the
selection criteria, the next step is to evaluate
potential green infrastructure retrofit locations
(changes to current landscape site). Geographic
Information Systems (GlS)-based tools help map
boundaries and areas of consideration. A follow-
up field assessment (site visit) (see Appendix:
Newport News Field Assessment Criteria) helps
refine the project and determine the feasibility of
installing green infrastructure stormwater BMPs
on a particular school ground.
Criteria
Improved
Wafer
Quality
40%
Community 30%
Objectives
Project 30%
Feasibility/
Readiness
Achieves M34 credit
Achieves TMDL credit
Reduces pollutant loads
Red u ces/d isco n nects
impervious surfaces
Enhances drinking water
Reduces flooding
Provides educational
opportunity
Increases green space
Provides recreation
Supports underserved
community
Project durability
Project cost
Uses accepted practice
Ready to implement
Funding available
Community support
Yes/No
Yes/No
Low/Med/High
Low/Med/High
Yes/No
Yes/No
Low/Med/High
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Low/Med/High
Low/Med/High
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Low/Med/High
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Conduct a field assessment immediately
following an average rain event. Seeing the site
just after a rain event provides key information
about areas of the property that experience
stormwater issues (e.g., flooding, standing
water). Additional considerations in site selection
include available space, slopes, required
setbacks, utility locations, environmentally
sensitive features, soils and hydrologic
conditions, water table depths, drainage areas,
and whether the site has been identified for
school modernization projects or other needs.
Someone who knows green infrastructure
principles and practices and is familiar with local
stormwater requirements should lead the site
evaluation. Taking photographs and creating a
rough sketch during the field assessment helps
identify site challenge areas, such as flooding,
and potential locations for green infrastructure
features.
SITE ASSESSMENT
Consider your Goals
Consider current
Consider currentj
Identify overheaj
Identify undergd
Identify currents
Identify loading (
Assess Your School Grounds (modified 21st Century Report 2011)
Is there a grassy or artificial turf playing field?
Are there accessible outdoor working drinking fountains?
Is there an outdoor classroom?
Are there wildlife friendly habitat areas (pollinator gardens etc.)
Are there varieties of interesting and educational shrubs and plants?
Can neighbors use the school grounds after school and on weekends?
grounds designed for passive observation?
If there are fences, are they appropriate
Is there appropriate lighting?
Are the school grounds regularly maintai
Is the school ground imperviousness minimized?
Do the school grounds have no-mow areas?
fee, design, and loc
id upgraded?

lo they form
r runoff paved areas through sheet flow?
Does the school ha
Step 4: Prepare A Concept Design
Now it is time to prepare a concept design! A
concept design allows the group to see the
initial ideas morph into a rough sketch. Use
information gathered in steps one through
three to develop an initial concept design.
Often a blend of BMPs best achieves the site's
stormwater needs. It may be beneficial to work
through preliminary calculations and consider
construction and maintenance activities to meet
stormwater goals. Retrofit designers often work
backwards from a set of existing site constraints
to meet stormwater management objectives.
Additional design elements to consider include
safety concerns, accessibility requirements,
fire codes and fire lanes, real estate limitations,
and maintenance costs. Just as meeting water
quality goals may be a requirement, green
infrastructure installations also must maintain a
safe environment, be aesthetically pleasing, and
comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
requirements.
Sedgefield Elementary students brainstorm ideas to reduce
stormwater issues at their school.
Newport News Field Assessment Criteria (see Appendix)
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EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Engage Stakeholders in the
Design Process
It is important to engage stakeholders in the
design process. In addition to determining how
to incorporate green infrastructure elements
into a specific school site, Stakeholders also
may consider how to integrate the green
infrastructure elements into the public school
systems educational curriculum (e.g., Standards
of Learning) and/or how to establish a plan for
developing educational and engaging outdoor
experiences or programs. Another key component
of the design is operations and maintenance.
Ail stormwater management systems, whether
green or gray, require maintenance. To maximize
the environmental benefits and reduce green
infrastructure project costs over the long-term,
consider ongoing operations and maintenance in
the design.
One tool for getting to the design stage is to
hold a one-day or multi-day meeting such as a
design charrette. A charrette is an intensive, multi-
disciplinary workshop where citizens, design
experts, and others come together to develop
a design or vision for a project or planning
activity (EPA 2016a). Workshop attendees largely
depend on what the group wants to achieve. Is
it to prepare a concept design or options prior to
presenting them to the larger community? Is it a
master plan for a school ground?
Prior to the meeting, notify charrette participants
about the group's previously identified focus,
goals, and objectives, as well as the charrette's
goals and objectives. Provide participants with
information on green infrastructure practices
and anything else on which the group intends
to focus. This brief advance preparation allows
for optimal use of the charrette format and the
stakeholders time.
After the workshop, prepare a short report and
a concept design summarizing the charrette
results. The report should build on the charrette's
result summary and focus statement. Include in
the report specific short and long-term ideas,
priorities, partners, and (if available) information
on budgets and a financing plan.
Sedgefield Elementary Design
Charette Summary
On October 7,2016, NNPS hosted a design
charrette for Sedgefield Elementary School
in the school's gymnasium. Local businesses
contributed light refreshments and lunch to
the more than 30 participants.
The morning focused on providing attendees
with information on the project's purpose,
which includes the opportunity to promote
environmental literacy, and an overview
of the benefits of green infrastructure In
the afternoon, attendees toured the school
grounds to see which areas rainfall and
stormwater impacted the most.
Attendees separated into three adult design
teams and one student design team. Using
drawing paper and aerial maps, the teams
highlighted areas of concern and noted
details for specific green infrastructure
practices (such as cisterns, trees, and
rain gardens). Each of the four groups
brainstormed design alternatives and shared
their ideas with the larger group. Students
in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade presented their
ideas on the design elements they wanted
incorporated on their school grounds.
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL
15

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Finalize the Concept Design
If the school system and local permitting
authority provide input at the charrette,
great! Now is the time to seek school system
approval. For projects that need a construction
or development permit, seek regulatory input
and approval as well. Many municipalities
strongly recommend and some even require
a pre-application meeting with appropriate
permit review staff. During the meeting, each
entity communicates its perceptions of the
project and discusses how to incorporate their
needs into the concept. If necessary, collect and
integrate additional information into the initial
development concept. The preliminary site
plan is now complete and ready to submit for
planning review.
Sedgefield Elementary concept design plan prepared
through the design charrette process.
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCH
Step 5: Secure Funding and
Gather Resources
As the group works toward the final design,
prepare a detailed budget that itemizes
the material and labor needs, the existing
resources available as identified in the strategy,
and funding necessary to install the green
infrastructure project. Even though securing
appropriate funds can be a challenge, there are
various and innovative mechanisms available to
fund green infrastructure stormwater BMPs.
It is important to identify financing mechanisms
that provide sufficient and stable funding over
time. A good resource for identifying financing
mechanisms is the Staving Green report written
by American Rivers and Green For All. In some
cases, federal, state and local grants (visit
www.arants.aov) and EPA's Clean Water State
Revolving Funds provide funding for green
infrastructure projects and practices. Funding
needs do not end after installing the green
infrastructure project; therefore, do not overlook
BMP operation and maintenance costs. To credit
any pollutant reductions towards achieving
water quality goals and to meet NPDES MS4
permits requirements, stormwater management
practices must function throughout their design
life cycle.

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Step 6: Build It!
The next step is to construct the green
infrastructure practice(s). But wait! Many
of the critical installation techniques and
green infrastructure elements may be new
to the construction team and can easily be
misinterpreted and/ or inappropriately executed.
A clear set of plans and construction documents,
knowledge of intent, and experience in installing
green infrastructure practices is necessary.
School administrations may need to properly-
train school facility management departments
to do the work in-house. Schools working with
outside consultants may consider using a pre-
qualification process; requiring mandatory pre-
bid meetings and a bid bond that guarantees
the project owner that the bidder will accept
the job if selected. These tools help to ensure a
reputable contractor pool.
Good communication with the construction
team is essential. So, too, is developing a
stormwater pollution prevention plan (EPA
2007). The construction team and others
involved in the project review the plan at
the pre-bid, pre-construction, and weekly
construction meetings as well as after storm
events. Amend the plan when inspections
indicate ineffective practices or other changes
occur that impact the discharge of pollutants.
Knowledge and understanding of state erosion
and sediment control plans is necessary to
implement permit requirements and is critical for
project success. Virginia's Erosion and Sediment
Control Handbook provided erosion and
sediment guidelines for the Sedgefield project.
There are many opportunities for teachers,
students, and local community volunteers to
actively assist in the project installation. For
example, students and volunteers can get their
hands dirty planting native plants and adding
mulch to complete a rain garden installation
(see Spratley Gifted Center example, page 5).
Teachers can provide lessons on the installation
process. Actively engaging the school
community provides a method to learn about
stormwater management.
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Oxon Hill Middle School students in Oxon Hill, MD install plants at a newly constructed micro-bioretention cell on school grounds.
Image courtesy of the Clean Water Partnership.
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL
17

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Step 7: Champion It
School grounds are great locations for
incorporating interpretive signage.They help
to serve as an educational opportunity and
to alert the school community that a green
infrastructure practice is located on-site.
Green infrastructure projects provide many
opportunities for outdoor iearning. Lesson pians
can incorporate environmental education, math,
art, and a host of other subjects and learning
experiences. There are several guidelines
available for planning environmental education
curriculum. In Virginia, good resources include
Virginia's No Child Left Inside Act, Standards
of Learning, and problem-based learning
projects. The Where to Learn More section
highlights several good resources. Taking the
classroom out into the community does not
require implementation of a green infrastructure
practices on-site. School and community groups
alike have organized a wide variety of programs,
from neighborhood and stream clean-ups
and fall leaf pick-ups to storm drain stenciling
projects.
Engaging educators and students is important to
give them experience and confidence to use the
green infrastructure stormwater project in their
teaching and learning. If a full-out environmental
education plan is not in the future, incorporate
the project into an existing community event,
such as an Earth Day celebration. Cultivating
staff and students into green infrastructure
experts nurtures local green infrastructure
champions.
Interpretive signage at Capital Heights Elementary School in Capital Heights, MD. Image courtesy of the Clean Water Partnership.

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Step 8: Maintain it!
All stormwater management systems, whether
gray or green, require regular, proactive
maintenance. In fact, NPDES MS4 permits require
a permittee to implement a program to ensure
adequate long-term operation and maintenance
of BMPs. The permit provides the requirements,
which include developing standard operating
procedures and an inventory for the inspection,
evaluation, and maintenance of each BMP.
Identifying upfront which stakeholder is
responsible for the various aspects of this
program is critical.
Appropriate operation and maintenance
activities ensure that green infrastructure
continues to function properly and yield
expected water quality and environmental
benefits, protect public safety, meet regulatory
requirements, and protect the community
investment. Consider the following factors to
ensure green infrastructure projects perform as
expected:
Type of maintenance to be performed;
Maintenance frequency and available
personnel/volunteers to perform
maintenance;
Component (such as plants, shrubs, and
permeable pavement) replacement costs; and
Availability of sufficient, dedicated funds to
cover operation and maintenance activities,
including component replacement costs.
There is an opportunity to engage secondary
school students in long-term inspection,
operations, and maintenance programs. For
example, a school district can incorporate
field inspection and investigations to meet
new science education standards and provide
opportunities for students to develop solutions
to real world problems. Other Storm Smart
Schools developed Field-Based Investigation
Programs to provide effective secondary school
education that meets municipality and school
district needs. Including school operations and
staff from the very beginning of the process
provides for creative collaboration with students,
E I G
Image courtesy of Montgomery County Department of
Environmental Protection
teachers, and municipal officials to achieve long-
term operation and maintenance of BMPs.
Shifting the burden of basic maintenance
activities to student-led or volunteer groups
helps relieve pressure on limited school and
municipal resources. Routine maintenance
on vegetated green infrastructure practices
is largely similar to general landscape
maintenance. Removing trash, leaf litter,
and invasive species and conducting regular
inspections are simple, effective ways to get
volunteers involved. Volunteer programs such
as the City of Columbia, Missouri's'Adopt-a-
rain garden'program (Shelton, 2014) creates
opportunities to engage trained students and
community members to take a proactive role in
green infrastructure maintenance.
Maintaining green infrastructure practices
requires knowledge of plants and plant health.
Communities can seek assistance from local
Master Gardeners'program, HorticuItural
societies, and other local or national gardening
organizations with similar knowledge. These
groups may provide communities with the
operation and maintenance support needed to
keep installed green infrastructure practices in
optimal performance.
HT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Step and Repeat
Once you are done with the project, do not stop
there! Evaluate success over time by collecting
information, not just on the green infrastructure
project's environmental benefits, but also on
the benefits to the school and the community.
Assess over time,and use this inforrretion to
refine any future plans of action 3nd determine
which green infrastructure project to tackle next.
Do you have a Storm Srra rt su cces s story that
you wantto share?Youcanapply tobefeatured
on the U.S. EPA's G3 website by submitting your
ston/ online at the following website link:
littps://www, epa .q ov/G 3/fo r ms/a dp Iv- be co m e-
q3-f eat u red- co m rn u n ity.
This sidewalk e teing constructed using pamnsable pavement, whkrh reduces runoff rebuilding groundwatersnd reducing
sudden surges in Icca I streams.
20
EIGHT STEPS TO A STORM SMART SCHOOL

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References
Glossary
American Rivers and Green for All. (2016). Staying
Green: Strategies to Improve Operations and
Maintenance of Green Infrastructure in the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Retrieved from http://
americanrivers.ora/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/
stavina-areen-strateaies-improve-operations-and-
maintenance.pdf.
Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the Governor.
(2015, April 22). Executive Order Number Forty-Two
(2015): Establishing the Virginia Environmental
Literacy Challenge. Retrieved from https://
aovernor.virainia.aov/media/3797/eo-42-
establishina-the-virainia-environmental-literacv-
challenaeada.pdf.
Covey, S. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People. New York, NY: Simon and
Schuster.
EPA. (2016a, October 31). Public Participation
Guide: Charrettes. Retrieved from https://www.
epa.aov/international-cooperation/public-
participation-auide-charrettes.
EPA. (2016b, September 23). What is Green
Infrastructure? Retrieved from https://www.
epa.aov/Qreen~i nfrastructure/what-a reen-
infrastructure.
EPA. (2007). Developing Your Storm water Pollution
Plan: A Guide for Construction Sites. (EPA-
833-R-06-004). Retrieved from https://www3.epa.
qov/npdes/pubs/sw swppp ouide.pdf.
EPA. (2003). Protecting Water Quality from Urban
Runoff: Clean Water is Everybody's Business. (EPA
841-F-03-003). Retrieved from https://www3.epa.
aov/npdes/pubs/nps urban-facts finaLodf.
Hammond, J. (2016, November 26). Spratley
students help Chesapeake Bay Foundation plant
rain garden. Retrieved December 28, 2016 from
http://www.dailvpress.com/news/ education/dp-
nws-cbf-rain-aarden-spratlev-20161122-storv.html.
Shelton, A. (2014, September 2). City offers
volunteers chance to adopt a rain garden.
Retrieved December 20, 2016, from http://www.
columbiatribune.com/news/ local/citv-offers-
volunteers-chance-to-adopt-a-rain-aarden/article
c1 fac8e0-4b0a-5f0a-88cb-30569f7d5b3e.htm I.
Best Management Practice (BMP) - Structural,
non-structural, and managerial techniques
designed to more effectively protect receiving
water quality and control stormwater quantity by
temporarily storing and/or treating stormwater
runoff.
Charrette - An intensive, multi-disciplinary
workshop where citizens, design experts, and
others come together to develop a design or
vision for a project or planning activity.
Clean Water Act (CWA) - The federal
environmental law governing water pollution.
The CWA provides the basic structure for
regulating discharges of pollutants into the
waters of the United States and for regulating
quality standards for surface waters.
Concept Design - A sketch prepared during
preliminary stage of design that identifies
significant natural features to be protected, the
footprint of existing or planned development
and, in the case of stormwater management,
the preliminary location of green infrastructure
practices. For green infrastructure concepts, it is
important to determine how stormwater runoff
from a proposed development, redevelopment,
or stormwater retrofit will be controlled
to minimize damage and the discharge of
pollutants to neighboring properties and
waterbodies.
Green Infrastructure - Refers to the practice of
using vegetation, soils, and other elements to
restore some of the natural processes required
to manage water and create healthier urban
environments. At the city or county scale, green
infrastructure is a patchwork of natural areas that
provides habitat, flood protection, cleaner air,
and cleaner water. At the neighborhood or site
scale, stormwater management systems mimic
nature to soak up and store water.
REFERENCES / GLOSSARY
21

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Illicit Discharge - Any discharge to a storm
sewer system that is not composed entirely of
stormwater, except for discharges allowed under
an NPDES permit. Examples include pouring
paint into or near a storm drain; directing vehicle
wash water into a storm drain; or washing
dumpster pads and allowing runoff to go into
the storm drain.
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
(MS4) - A conveyance or system of conveyances
that is owned by a state, city, town, village, or
other public entity that discharges to waters
of the U.S and is designed or used to collect or
convey stormwater (e.g., storm drains, pipes,
ditches).
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) - A permit program that
addresses water pollution by regulating point
sources that discharge pollutants to waters
of the United States. Created in 1972 by the
Clean Water Act, the NPDES permit program
is authorized to state governments by EPA to
perform many permitting, administrative, and
enforcement aspects of the program.
NPDES Phase I MS4 permits were first issued
in 1990 and require medium and large cities
or certain counties with populations over
100,000 or more to obtain NPDES permit
coverage for their stormwater discharges.
NPDES Phase II MS4 permits were first issued
in 1999.The regulation requires regulated
small MS4s in urbanized areas, as well as
small MS4s outside the urbanized areas that
are designated by the permitting authority,
to obtain NPDES permit coverage for their
stormwater discharges.
Retrofit - see'Stormwater Retrofit'.
Stakeholders - Individuals and organizations or
their representatives who hold a special interest
in an issue or program - such as the stormwater
program - since they may be affected by it.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
(SWPPP) - A site-specific construction
document that: 1) identifies potential sources
of stormwater pollution at a construction site;
2) describes practices to reduce pollutants in
stormwater discharges from the construction
site; and 3) identifies procedures the operator
will implement to comply with the terms
and conditions of a construction general
permit. Some states use different terms other
than SWPPP. Other common terms include:
Construction Best Practices Plan; Sediment
and Stormwater Plan; Erosion, Sediment, and
Pollution Prevention Plan; Construction Site Best
Management Practices Plan; and Erosion and
Sediment Control Plan.
Stormwater Retrofit - Stormwater BMPs
installed on existing developments and
providing treatment to areas that are either
currently untreated or inadequately treated by
existing stormwater management devices.
Urbanized Area (UA) - A densely settled core
of census tracts and/or census blocks that have a
population of at least 50,000, along with adjacent
territory containing non-residential urban land
uses, as well as territory with low population
density included to link outlying densely settled
territory with the densely settled core.
(https://www3.epa.aov/npdes/pubs/fact2-2.pdf)
GLOSSARY

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Where to Learn More
Green Infrastructure
EPA - Green Infrastructure (website)
https://www.epa.aov/areen-infrastructure
This website includes a range of information
on green infrastructure practices and policy,
planning, and design tools. Here, viewers
can learn more about the basics of green
infrastructure, the different green infrastructure
practices, and the benefits they provide.This
website provides information on up-to-date
resources and issues from EPA experts.
EPA's Making a Visible Difference in
Communities (website)
https://www.epa.aov/ smartarowth/ma ki no-
visible-difference-communities
Environmental and public health impacts affect
people most significantly where they live - at the
community level. EPA's Making a Visible Difference
in Communities initiative focuses on providing
better support to communities, especially in
environmentally overburdened, underserved, and
economically distressed areas where the needs
are greatest.This webpage provides information
on the communities where EPA provides support,
offers a variety of online resources, and provides
webinars on green infrastructure and other
relevant topics.
Planning and Design
A Guide to Stormwater Management on School
Campuses (guidebook)
http://www.phillvwatersheds.org/sites/default/
files/Ca mpusStormwaterGuide.pdf
This concise guidebook presents basic schoolyard
stormwater management strategies and
instructions for implementing and maintaining
them on school campuses and the community.
The resource also offers best-management
practices for everyday activities that reduce the
amount of pollutants in stormwater runoff.
Philadelphia Water Department, Schuylkill Action
Network, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary,
& U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2007).
A Guide to Stormwater Management on School
Campuses. Region Three. (20 pages)
A Practical Guide to Planning, Constructing,
and Using School Courtyards (guidebook)
http://www.montgomervschoolsmd.org/
uploadedFiles/curriculum/outdoored/outreach/
PlanningConstructingUsing
School Courtyards 062012 ,odf
This resource promotes the use of school
courtyards for instruction and leisure activities for
all age groups; emphasizes the importance nature
plays in the educational growth and development
of children; and offers examples and guidelines
for designing and maintaining courtyard spaces.
Maryland State Department of Education. (2012). A
Practical Guide to Planning, Constructing, and Using
School Courtyards. (103 pages)
Developing Great Schoolyards: A Handbook
for Elementary Schools (guidebook)
http://www.21csf.org/csf-home/publications/
DevelopingGreatSchoolvards20111025.pdf
Quality schoolyards provide opportunities for the
physical challenges, exercise, sensory play, fantasy
play, organized sports, and unsupervised free play
that allow for healthy, well-rounded development.
This document identifies key elements of healthy,
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
23

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
safe, and educationally rich schoolyards from
a survey of public elementary school outdoor
spaces in the District of Columbia.
21st Century School Fund. (2011). Developing Great
Schoolyards: A Handbook for Elementary Schools
(1sted.). Washington DC. (31 pages)
Green Schools Initiative (website)
http://areenschools.net/
This is a California organization working to
transform schools into sustainability models.They
promote engaging youth in hands-on, inquiry-
based learning and actions to improve the health
and sustainability of facilities and operations.
Their work focuses on training teachers, parents,
facility directors, school board members and
others through a seven-step approach 1) form a
committee, 2) adopt a vision, 3) conduct a survey,
4) make a plan, 5) monitor progress, 6) integrate
into curriculum, and 7) celebrate success.The
organization provides tools and resources to
support schools in reducing their environmental
footprint; and advocates for state policies
supporting healthy, sustainable schools and
environmental literacy.
Green Schoolyard Guidelines (website)
https://www.educationoutside.ora/areen-
schoolvard-auidelines
Education Outside partnered with the San
Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to
provide assistance and training for green
schoolyard and outdoor classroom design ideas,
implementation, and curricular connections.
The website offers guidance materials, sample
maintenance agreements, and eligibility
requirements for the services provided by
Education Outside.
SFUSD GSY Guidelines_2013
(companion document)
https://www.educationoutside.ora/sites/default/
files/SFUSD%20GSY%20Guidelines 2013.pdf
Guidelines compiled for the SFUSD to help:
identify the roles and responsibilities of school
communities, SFUSD staff, and community
greening partners vis-a-vis schoolyard design
and maintenance; establish parameters for good
design of green schoolyards, including gardens,
play spaces, and outdoor classrooms; and guide
the selection of plants and other materials used in
green schoolyards.
International School Grounds Alliance
(website)
http://www.internationalschoolarounds.org
The International School Grounds Alliance
(ISGA) is a global network of organizations and
professionals working to enrich children's learning
and play by improving the way school grounds
are designed and used.
ISGA Videos (website)
http://www.internationalschoolgrounds.org/
videos/
http://www.lund.se/Global/Naturskolan/Diverse/
ISGMguide2015.pdf
Extensive collection of videos that highlight green
school ground projects around the world.Topics
include step-by-step approaches, project tours
and student interviews.
How to Start a School Garden
http://www.pps.net/Page/2095
Portland Public Schools System has a six-step
application process to install a garden on a school
site including a consultation with a Resources
Conservation Coordinator; an example of a signed
maintenance agreement; and five review points
required for the School's Facility Management's
approval: verification of funding; evaluation of
safety; feasibility review of location, size, and plant
material; assessment against codes and standards;
and a signed maintenance agreement. 3 pages.
24
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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Portland Public Schools (PPS). (2015). How to Start
a School Garden. Green Schoolyard Guidelines.
Portland, Oregon. (4 pages)
Rainscapesfor Schools (guidebook)
http://www.montaomervcountvmd.aov/DEP/
Resources/Files/downloads/rainscapes/fact-
sheets/RainScapesForSchoolsReport2016.pdf
This report outlines goals for the Rainscapes for
Schools program and identifies techniques to
support those goals, which include improved
water quality, hands-on environmental education,
and MS4 compliance. A six-step process explains
the responsibilities of DEP and Public Schools that
participate in the program.The program covers
rain gardens, conservation landscaping, tree
planting, and a treatment train of these practices.
The guidebook profiles 12 completed projects.
Maryland Department of Environment
Protection (DEP). 2016. RainScapes for Schools:
Environmentally Friendly Landscapes for Healthy
Watersheds. (Report). Montgomery County, MD.
(22 pages)
Schools for the Future: Designing School
Grounds
http://www.ltl.ora.uk/pdf/desianina-school-
arou nds-sma II pdf-com-1377013362.pdf
This comprehensive resource considers all
participants in school grounds development
(including teachers, governing bodies,
community members, designers, and contractors)
and multiple aspects of the planning, funding,
design, and implementation.The guide also
provides activities to engage students in the
process.
Department for Education and Skills. (2006). Schools
for the Future: Designing School Grounds. London:
The Stationery Office (TSO). .(122 pages)
Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide
https://www.fws.gov/cno/pdf/HabitatGuideColor.pdf
This how-to guide provides a 9-step process
for transforming school grounds into a place
that engages the school community in habitat
restoration.This guide covers planning, installing,
and sustaining a project.
US Fish and Wildlife Services & Willow Oak Group.
(2011). Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide: A planning
guide for creating schoolyard habitat and outdoor
classroom projects (2nd ed.). (132 pages)
Stormwater Management in Your Schoolyard
http://water.rutaers.edu/Proiects/
SWMIYSchoolvard/SWMIYSchoolvard.html#K8
The Stormwater Management in Your Schoolyard
program was developed by the Rutgers
Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program
in collaboration with the Northeast States &
Caribbean Islands Regional Water Center and the
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium.This website
provides educational lectures, hands-on activities,
and community-level outreach for students on
the topics of water quality issues and stormwater
management practices, such as rain gardens and
rain barrels.
Tap the Sky Rainwater Harvesting (website)
http://www.taptheskv.ora/
Tap the Sky develops community-driven rainwater
harvesting systems in San Francisco public
schools and sites throughout the Bay Area.Their
mission is to encourage and facilitate rainwater
catchment to demonstrate green infrastructure
and community resilience.The website features
project examples and descriptions; provides
resources for designing and implementing
rainwater harvesting systems; and focuses
on volunteer participation and collaborative
partnerships.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Transforming Philadelphia's Schoolyards
(guidebook)
http://www.cdesianc.ora/uploads/
files/547129531651180934-collaborative-
transforminq-philadelphias-schoolvards-quide.pdf
This guidebook provides a step-by-step process
for creating a schoolyard improvement program
from initiation through implementation; provides
information on incorporating elements into the
project that enhance the educational, cultural,
environmental, social, and recreational benefits;
and shares successful schoolyard projects with
a variety of approaches. The guidebook uses six
steps, eight design elements, and three school
stories to define the planning process and
illustrate implementation.
Community Design Collaborative & Philadelphia
Water Department. (2015). Transforming
Philadelphia's Schoolyards. Philadelphia, PA.
(48 pages)
Learning Through Landscapes (website)
http://www.ltl.ora.uk/spaces/index.php
This website presents a step-by-step engagement
process and over twenty illustrative case studies
completed in the UK under their "transforming
spaces" section.
USF WS Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide
https://www.fws.aov/cno/pdf/HabitatGuideColor.pdf
This comprehensive how-to guide provides
information for planning, installing, and
sustaining schoolyard habitat and outdoor
classroom projects.The process oriented manual
provides design and education tools to support
woodland, meadow, and wetland creation..
US Fish and Wildlife Service. (2011). Schoolyard
Habitat Project Guide: A planning guide for creating
schoolyard habitat and outdoor classroom projects
(2nd ed.). Pacific Southwest Region. (132 pages)
Lesson Plans and Activities
Bay Backpack (website)
http://bavbackpack.com/
Bay Backpack is a web resource designed to help
educators provide their students with hands-on
environmental learning experiences about the
Chesapeake Bay watershed.
International School Grounds Month: Activity
Guide (guidebook)
https://static1 .squarespace.com/
static/56f1b6cbe707ebc63b90b4ef/t/5757
39f486db435d67ec8d61 /1465334362638/
ISGMauide2016 secured-June7.pdf
This guidebook provides 29 hands-on outdoor
lessons spanning art, play, biology, botany,
and water. It provides guidance on identifying
age-appropriate activities, shows the materials
needed, and includes directions and variations for
each activity.
International School Grounds Alliance. (2016).
International School Grounds Month: Activity Guide.
(76 pages)
Understanding the Urban Watershed
http://resourcewater.ora/rwfiles/Curriculum
Guide.pdf
Compilation of 27 interdisciplinary lessons with
background summaries, objectives, vocabulary,
activities, and discussion questions. Lessons are
organized by six water themes.There is a final
stewardship project, and everything is cross-
walked to Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
78 pages.
Fairmount Water Works. (2013). Understanding the
Urban Watershed: A Regional Curriculum Guide for
the Classroom. (NOT ACCESSIBLE WITHOUT LOGIN)
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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
The Edible Schoolyard (website)
http://edibleschoolvard.org
The Edible Schoolyard program targets public
schools and aims to build and share a national
edible education curriculum for pre-kindergarten
through high school.The program involves
students in all aspects of growing, cooking, and
sharing food at the table and brings academic
subjects to life in the garden, kitchen, and
lunchroom.The website highlights similar
programs across the country and provides
principles, tools, resources, and instructional
videos.
Virginia Resource Use Education Council
http://www.dcr.virainia.aov/other/environmental-
education-portable/environmental-education/
www.dcr.virainia.gov/environmental-education/
virainia-resource-use-education-council.html
Virginia Department of Conservation and
Recreation, Virginia Resource Use Education
Council (VRUEC) through Environmental
Educators Leadership Program (EELP) sponsors
conservation courses for teachers and trains
hundreds of community educators about
Virginia's natural resources.The website provides
lesson plans, activities, and a self-assessment to
evaluate a school's environmental literacy and
sustainability efforts.
General Resources
Back to School: Back Outside (report)
https://www.nwf.org/pdf/Be%200ut%20There/
Back%20to%20School%20full%20report.pdf
This comprehensive report summarizes studies
of the impact of outdoor education and play on
students'learning skills, career success, and test
scores. The report also provides guidelines and
resources for teachers, parents and communities
to support environmental education and
outdoor play.
National Wildlife Federation. (2010). Back to School:
Back Outside, Create High Performing Students.
Reston, VA. (40 pages)
TreeBaltimore (website)
http://www.treebaltimore.org/about/
TreeBaltimore serves as the umbrella organization
for all Baltimore agencies and private
organizations in their effort to increase the city's
tree canopy. The website offers information
about the benefits of trees, the financial value of
Baltimore's trees, and guidance on places to plant
trees, such as school campuses.The organization
partners with many, including schools pursuing a
goal of 40% tree canopy cover by 2037.
N WF Building Green School Grounds and
Teaching STEM Principles
https://www.nwf.ora/Eco-Schools-USA/About-
Eco-Schools-USA/STEM.aspx
National Wildlife Federation (NWF), through
funding support by the Motorola Foundation,
creates authentic outdoor learning laboratories
on school grounds and related curriculum to
engage and motivate educators, students,
and community members in Philadelphia and
Chicago.The website provides links to NWF's
EcoSchools USA program, STEM-based lesson
plans, How-to Guide for Schoolyard Habitats,
webinars and additional resources.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
27

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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Appendix:
Newport News Field Assessment Criteria
SITE ASSESSMENT
Consider Your Goals
Improving aesthetics?
Solving a drainage problem?
Reducing stormwater runoff leaving site?
Reducing impervious surfaces?
Creating shade?
Creating more varied play areas?
Creating outdoor learning/teaching areas?
Creating habitat areas?
Gardening?
Reducing maintenance?
Inventory and Mapping
What does the site look like?
Map the property, create a site plan
Determine the amount of impervious area
Where is the stormwater coming from?
Determine the sources of runoff (downspouts, roads, parking areas, pathways)
If the site is in the flood plain, consider adjacent streams, swales, roads, etc
Where does the water go?
Evaluate topography (estimate the slopes, lengths, micro-berms, ponding areas)
Determine the flow paths of runoff (run along curbs or sheet flow)
Consider flow rates and volumes (areas where rain rushes or trickles)
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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Inventory and Mapping (continued)
What does the site look like?
Identify roof drain connections, ground inlets, curbing, catch basins, streams, swales
Are there any existing stormwater management practices onsite?
Consider traffic patterns on the site (wildlife, people, bicycles, cars, machinery)
Consider current vegetated areas, can they get greener?
Consider current play areas/needs, can they be "de-paved"? Can they be divided up?
Identify overhead utilities
Identify underground utilities
Identify current site vegetation (trees, shrubs, herbaceous, grasses), location, condition, species
Assess site litter
Identify loading docks and trash dumpsters
Consider areas where buses wait/load and car drop off/pick up areas
Assess the soil quality (take live samples from around the grounds to have lab assessed)
Check the solar exposure and tree canopy
Consider how the land is used around the school grounds and how this might affect your project
Note surrounding building land uses—residential, commercial, institutional, other
Note road network around school grounds (width, volume, type of traffic)
Block out areas on site map for stormwater disconnection, interception, collection, and treatment.
APPENDIX
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STORM SMART SCHOOLS
Assess Your School Grounds (modified 21st Century Report 2011)
Rating the School Grounds for healthy student engagement and strong
environmental performance
Features to look for:
Exist:
Yes=1
No=0
Quality:
Good=2
Poor=1
Total
Points
Are there multiple play areas?
1
2
3
Is there a variety of play and athletic equipment?
1
2
3
Is access available for children of all abilities?
1
2
3
Is there comfortable seating for children and adults?
1
2
3
Are there plenty of shaded areas for children and adults?
1
2
3
Is there open space for organized sports?
1
2
3
Is there a hardscape ball court?
1
2
3
Is there a grassy or artificial turf playing field?
1
2
3
Are there accessible outdoor working drinking fountains?
1
2
3
Is there an outdoor classroom?
1
2
3
Are there accessible outdoor working water connections?
1
2
3
Are there gardening beds?
1
2
3
Are there wildlife friendly habitat areas (pollinator gardens, etc.)?
1
2
3
Are there varieties of interesting and educational shrubs and plants?
1
2
3
Can neighbors use the school grounds after school and on weekends?
1
2
3
Are the school grounds designed for passive observation?
1
2
3
Do people feel safe on school grounds?
1
2
3
If there are fences, are they appropriate in size, design, and location?
1
2
3
Is there appropriate lighting?
1
2
3
Are the school grounds regularly maintained and upgraded?
1
2
3
Is the school ground imperviousness minimized?
1
2
3
Do the school grounds have no-mow areas?
1
2
3
Is ground cover or turf well-formed and maintained (no bare soil)?
1
2
3
Are steep slopes or bog areas well vegetated?
1
2
3
Are there mature trees and do they form a canopy?
1
2
3
Is there positive site drainage?
1
2
3
Are drainage inlets appropriately spaced, sized, and maintained?
1
2
3
Are roof drains disconnected to adequate drainage areas?
1
2
3
Are there conservation areas for roof drain stormwater to flow?
1
2
3
Can stormwater runoff paved areas through sheet flow?
1
2
3
Are there conservation areas for parking and pathway stormwater to flow?
1
2
3
Does the school have an integrated pest management plan?
1
2
3
Are loading docks and trash bays disconnected from storm drains?
1
2
3
Are loading docks and trash bays disconnected well maintained?
1
2
3
Are there areas for bicycle storage?
1
2
3
Are there areas for trash collection throughout site?
1
2
3
TOTAL
36
72
108
APPENDIX

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A GUIDE TO INTEGRATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Front and Back Cover Photos:
Top image: University of North Alabama in Florence.
Photo courtesy of David Mark via Pixabay.
2nd row: Rain Gardens; A storm downspout; A terrace planter.
Photos courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center.

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A I™	United States
I	Environmental Protection
¦5: jt i - ¦ | % Agency

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