Success Stories

Bio-Retention Basin Construction at Parknoll Elementary in Berea, Ohio

Independence Raingarden, Seven Hills Raingarden at Recreation Center

Bio-swales, also referred to as stormwater retention ponds or basins, are used to remove pollutants and provide flood control. Parking lots create run-off that is contaminated with oil, radiator coolant and debris from asbestos brake linings. Biofiltration swales and strips are vegetated areas that remove pollutants from storm water runoff as it flows through the vegetation. Local bio-swale designs average 10 to 20 feet wide by 100 feet long. A typical bio-swale provides 30-80% pollutant removal–including decreases in total suspended solids, total phosphorous, total nitrogen, floating trash, heavy metals, biological oxygen demand, bacteria, greases, oils, and turbidity. The EPA’s Clean Water Act has increased pressure on municipalities to clean up storm water run-off. In the summer of 2005, Kurtz Bros., Inc. provided Blaze Construction with 500 YDS of KB BIORETENTION Material and 120 YDS of HARDWOOD BLEND MULCH for the construction of this Bio-Retention Basin at Parknoll Elementary in Berea, OH. Bio-Retention Basin is also considered a Post Construction BMP (Best Management Practice).  This helps satisfy the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Phase 2 requirements.

Water Treatment

Besides controlling water quantity, bioretention facilities can improve the quality of stormwater runoff prior to discharge to streams or recharging of ground water. 

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is a general term referring to a decontamination method utilizing the biological and biochemical processes associated with biota (bacteria, fungi, plants) to clean toxic contamination associated with pollution. Phytoremediation specifically refers to the use of plants for decontamination. Both bioremediation and phytoremediation have been regularly and successfully used in brownfields (commercial or industrial sites that have been abandoned due to environmental contamination). Particular plants have the ability and tolerance to take up high concentrations of toxic chemicals, and even processing some of these chemicals to less toxic derivatives.

Now the same principles can be applied to the treatment of the pollution load of stormwater arising from both “point” and “nonpoint” sources (e.g. sediments, nutrients, oil and grease, heavy metals, pesticides, temperature etc.). Indeed, it is not much of a stretch of the imagination to visualize stormwater runoff as a moving, fluid brownfield.   

Rain Gardens

What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is an attractive landscaping feature planted with perennial native plants. It is a bowl-shaped garden, designed to absorb stormwater run-off from impervious surfaces such as roofs and parking lots.

Rain gardens can be small, formal, home-owner style gardens, large complex bioretention gardens, or anywhere in between.

Why do we need rain gardens?
Rain is natural; stormwater isn't. Government studies have shown that up to 70% of the pollution in our streams, rivers and lakes is carried there by stormwater. Although most people never think about stormwater, about half of the pollution that stormwater carries comes from things we do in our yards and gardens!

Planting a rain garden may seem like a small thing, but if you calculate the amount of rain that runs off your roof, you would be very surprised.That rain is supposed to soak into the ground, but instead heads down the street to the storm drain, carrying pollution with it.

Keeping rain where it falls, by putting it into a beautiful rain garden, is a natural solution. You not only get a lovely garden out of it, you have the added benefit of helping protect our rivers, streams and lakes from stormwater pollution. You can be part of a beautiful solution!

Stormwater education
Need information or resources for stormwater education? Call Kurtz Bros. @216 986 9000.

Communities are seeking ways to educate their citizens about storm water pollution, due to the EPA (Federal) mandate. Rain garden projects are one of many excellent public education tools that can be used for this purpose. A rain garden project could help meet these needs in your neighborhood.