Trees and Stormwater Runoff (Green Stormwater Infrastructure)

This collection contains current information regarding trees (urban forests and street trees) and stormwater runoff mitigation at the site or neighborhood scale. Frequently referred to as green stormwater infrastructure (GSI).

Evaluating and Conserving Green Infrastructure Across the Landscape: A Practitioners Guide

These planning guides for specific state models discuss how to plan a green infrastructure project using the data or model specific to that state. There are guides available for Arkansas, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Trees and Stormwater Audit Tool

This audit tool helps cities to determine how well their ordinances and practices can reduce impervious surfaces and whether they are using all the best tools to manage their urban forests. This tool scores a city and shows where improvements are needed.

Urban Forest Systems and Green Stormwater Infrastructure

This document focuses on the effects of trees on urban stormwater runoff, provides some helpful urban forest management strategies to maximize stormwater benefits, and demonstrates several examples around the United States where the stormwater benefits of urban trees are credited for reducing ...

Tree Function in Stormwater Biofilters

The Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series featured trees in bioretention systems as a stormwater runoff mitigation practice. This 2-hour presentation and panel discussion features Jon Hathaway, Research Engineer at University of Tennessee, and some of his stormwater research involving trees.

Investigating the Stormwater: Quantity and Quality Impacts of Urban Trees

A webinar given by Bill Selbig and Rebecca Dohn on January 8, 2020 discussing current research regarding street tree debris and water quality as well as how Nashville views its urban forest as a stormwater management practice.

Evaluating Stormwater Benefits of Atlanta's Urban Forest

This is a Featured Article in the January 2020 Stormwater Magazine expounding on a presentation given by Amanda Medori Hallauer and Eric Kuehler at the 2019 StormCon annual conference in Atlanta, GA.

Incorporating Forestry into Stormwater Management Programs: State of the Science and Business Model Evaluation for Nutrient Reduction and Volume Control

The overall goal of this project was to document the contribution of urban tree systems to stormwater nutrient and volume control in terms of their effectiveness at various scales, cost, desirability, and practicality.

Gravel Bed Stormwater Detention System for Growing Trees in Extra-urban Areas

The purpose of this demonstration project was to show the potential of an inexpensive, gravel-based stormwater detention system to store water for use by trees in ultra-urban areas without sacrificing needed parking space. read more...

Gravel Bed Stormwater Retention System - Greenhouse Demonstration Project

This project was conducted to better understand below-ground tree root morphology in gravel-based stormwater retention systems. read more...

Clarkesville Green Infrastructure Implementation Strategy

This report was developed under USEPA Contract No. EP-C-11-009 as part of the 2014 USEPA Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance Program. read more...

A Green Infrastructure Guide for Small Cities, Towns and Rural Communities

The purpose of this Guide is to support small cities, towns and rural settlements with the integration of green infrastructure into their communities. Much of the current green infrastructure research and guidance focuses on densely populated urban centres. Smaller and rural settlements are often ... read more...

Ahead of the Curve – Implementing Green Infrastructure in Rural and Growing Communities

This webcast will showcase two communities, Monona, Iowa and Clarkesville, Georgia, that are ahead of the curve in using green infrastructure to address some of their stormwater management challenges.

Evaluation of Natural Green Infrastructure for Watershed Planning in the City of Atlanta

This white paper describes a Preservation Evaluation Tool used to assign an evaluation score to a particular area of preservation or restoration interest and a watershed model used to understand the water quality benefits provided by natural GI and the City’s tree canopy. This tool was developed by ... read more...

Urban Forest Systems and Green Stormwater Infrastructure

The purpose of this draft document is to focus on the research-based effects of trees on urban stormwater runoff, provide some helpful urban forest management strategies to maximize stormwater benefits, and demonstrate several examples around the United States where the stormwater benefits of urban ... read more...

Capture the Rain and Rebuild the Economy: It Can Happen Here!

This fun animation shows how reconnecting trees to our city's watersheds is one of the fastest ways to create lasting jobs while rebuilding local economies and preparing our communities to thrive and survive increasing threats of severe weather.

Accounting for Trees in Stormwater Models

This paper is intended to help the stormwater engineering community more easily account for trees in runoff and pollutant load calculations so that they can more readily incorporate them into their stormwater management strategies.

Gray 2 Green (G2G) Decision Support Tool

A decision support tool for transitioning to vegetation-based stormwater management

Investigating the Stormwater Quantity and Quality Impacts of Urban Trees

This 2 hour presentation/panel discussion highlights ongoing research projects that will help environmental managers assess the stormwater volume reduction potential of urban trees as well as understand how municipal leaf collection and street cleaning programs can limit the amount of nutrients in ...

Trees and Stormwater Calculator Tool

The Trees and Stormwater Calculator Tool is intended to simulate the impact of increasing or decreasing urban tree canopies upon stormwater runoff yield.

More Than Good Looks: How trees influence urban stormwater management in green infrastructure practices

In this webinar, Andrew Tirpak discusses recent research results from studies designed to characterize the health of trees in bioretention practices and the benefits they provide to urban stormwater management. Lyn Rutherford shares observations from managing bioretention and detention ponds in ...