Green Infrastructure in La Parguera, Puerto Rico, US Territory
Sand filters capture and temporarily store the water quality volume and pass it through a filter bed.
Project Summary
The Green Infrastructure Plan for La Parguera was a collaboration between landscape architects from Polytechnic University in San Juan, Ridge to Reefs, and Protectores de Cuencas, among other partners. This document was produced by landscape architecture students at Polytechnic University and resembles more of a landscape architecture pictorial than a typical watershed plan. This form is likely to have more resonance with the public since it helps people visualize green infrastructure in their community. Our first efforts in implementation are the result of a partnership with Interamerican University of Puerto Rico CECIA Lab who have been engaged in the monitoring of green infrastructure projects as well as the nearshore coastal waters. Their students and staff have also created a mural to support the education of the community and tourists. Our initial project stabilized two dirt parking lots and created a sand/biofilter to reduce the transport of hydrocarbons, heavy metals, sediment, and nutrients to the coastal waters and nearshore reefs. Monitoring is on-going to assess the effectiveness of the project.
Problem
In urban and suburban areas, trees, plants and soil have been replaced with impermeable surfaces such as pavement and roofs, causing high stormwater flows which carry pollutants directly to streams. Coastal waters and nearshore reefs are impacted by heavy metals, hydrocarbons, sediment, and nutrients being carried downstream in stormwater.
Solution
Implementing green infrastructure practices in the urban and suburban landscape which utilize natural treatment processes of plants and soil to reduce pollutant concentrations in stormwater before it reaches streams and the ocean.
Implementation
We began by stabilizing two dirt parking lots and creating a sand biofilter to reduce the transport of hydrocarbons, heavy metals, sediment, and nutrients to the coastal waters and nearshore reefs. These green infrastructure elements were included in the Green Infrastructure Plan for La Parguera. This document was produced by landscape architecture students at the Polytechnic University in San Juan. Students and staff from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico have also created a mural to support the education of the community and tourists. Monitoring is ongoing to assess the effectiveness of the project.
Outcomes
Introducing green infrastructure, stabilizing parking lots, and engaging public support reduces stormwater pollutants, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, sediment, and nutrients reaching the coastal waters and improves the health of downstream ecosystems. Additionally, landscape architecture students had the opportunity to participate in the development of a sustainable watershed plan.
View the Green Infrastructure Master Plan
