Thesis
Landscape architecture and water scarcity: municipal codes and standards, developments and revisions promoting low impact development technologies in stormwater management in Spokane, Washington
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100514
Abstract
Water scarcity is a serious issue that threatens long-term water accessibility for states and their municipalities. The situation can be addressed by a reformulation of stormwater management playing a key role in sustainable water management within particular basins and individual watersheds; however, conventional stormwater management has proven to be ecologically and economically unsustainable. Conventional stormwater management practices have significant environmental and economic shortfalls which result in substantial detrimental effects on water resources. The disconnect between available sustainable stormwater management technologies and conventional stormwater management practices can be bridged through the development or revisions of municipal codes to promote the use of sustainable stormwater management practices, specifically Low Impact Development technologies. Existing research has focused on municipal code revisions within the Puget Sound, however further investigation is warranted to identify codes and standards for eastern Washington municipalities that will increase the use of Low Impact Development technologies in stormwater management practices. With a focus on reducing stormwater runoff volume in Spokane, WA, the research questions addressed are: What recommended revisions to municipal codes from the Puget Sound Partnership’s Low Impact Development Local Regulation Assistance Project can be applied to land development codes in Spokane, WA to promote the application of the four Low Impact Development categories identified in the Low Impact Development Technology Categories Matrix? With the application of select code revisions to a case study in Spokane, WA, what are the quantifiable values resulting from the multiple performance benefits, specifically reduced stormwater runoff and energy use? The study was performed in four phases. Phase I evaluated and categorized the code revision recommendations outlined in the Low Impact Development Local Regulation Assistance Project to produce a Master List of code revision recommendations. Phase II evaluated and revised Spokane municipal codes according to the Master List resulting in a Spokane List of code revision recommendations. Phase III applied a selection of Phase II code revisions to a case study site in Spokane for the purpose of quantifying and valuating reduced stormwater runoff volumes and avoided cost savings. Phase IV summarized the results and discussed the potential for further research and application.
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Details
- Title
- Landscape architecture and water scarcity
- Creators
- Zoraida Anne Etter
- Contributors
- Robert A. Scarfo (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Horticulture, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525088401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis