Design, Construction, and Maintenance
Discover Penn State Extension’s resources on stormwater management design and construction. Access practical information on rain gardens, green roofs, rainwater cisterns, and toolkits for water resource managers. Tips on planting green infrastructure as stormwater control systems can be found as well.
Stormwater Runoff: Construction and Design Tips
Stormwater control systems are important for successfully managing surface runoff. In urban areas, stormwater runoff cannot infiltrate the impermeable surfaces, making these systems essential.
Most control systems are designed to store runoff water, recharge groundwater, and use water for household and/or irrigation purposes. Common stormwater control options for property owners include permeable pavers, as well as rain barrels and cisterns.
Rainwater Cisterns
Cisterns and rain barrels are structures used to capture and hold water from rooftops until it can be used or released into planted areas. When designing a cistern, remember to calculate the amount of water that can be collected from the roof. This can be estimated by using a formula such as (inches of rain per rain event) x (Square ft. of the roof) x (0.6 conversion factor) = gallons to rain barrel per rain event.
Pervious Surfaces
Permeable pavers are installed with a thick stone base, allowing space for water to be stored until it’s absorbed into the ground. In order to work properly, porous pavement and permeable pavers must be constructed over a carefully prepared subsurface. This can be graded wash stone, but it may also include storage tanks, basins, and piping. The construction costs for your stormwater project will generally depend on the technology and size of the control system.
In this section, find tips on creating infiltration surfaces and using green infrastructure. Discover creative ways to manage stormwater with the free Artful Rainwater Design webinar, as well as the homeowner’s guide to stormwater.
Rain Garden Construction
Rain gardens are an excellent option for slowing and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff from downspouts, driveways, and other impervious surfaces. Rain gardens have a bowl shape that enables them to capture water and let it soak into the ground.
Factors to consider during rain garden construction include location and size, soil type, water flow, and types of plants. It’s important to place the garden where it will collect the most runoff. It is recommended to construct rain gardens at least 10 feet from a foundation, 50 feet from a septic system, and 100 feet from a well.
Green Roof Design and Construction
Vegetated roofs, or green roofs, are a low impact development practice recognized for reducing stormwater volume and runoff peak rates. Other benefits of green roofs may include extended roof life, improved air quality, and stormwater attenuation.
Green roofs work by capturing and retaining water, which is later evapotranspired back to the atmosphere. In general, there are two main types of green roofs – intensive (large vegetation) and extensive (small vegetation).
The general design of green roofs includes four layers – roof membrane and root barrier, drainage layer, growth media, and adapted vegetation. Discover further construction and design considerations during the Green Roofs Management webinar.
Stream Restoration Practices
Stream restoration involves the use of various methods specially designed to reduce erosion and improve stream health. Practices that can add plant life back to the streams often include live staking and riparian buffers.
Live staking can be an affordable method for restoring eroding stream banks. It is used to reintroduce plant life directly on the stream banks. Live stakes – the stem cuttings taken from trees during the dormant season – are inserted directly into the banks.
Using a riparian buffer is another practice that involves planting trees and seedlings along the stream. Planting riparian buffers can help hold soil in place, soak up nutrients, absorb rainwater, and provide wildlife habitat.
On this page, discover more about stream repair and stormwater runoff management practices. Advice can be obtained on planting stormwater control system, as well as on the ecology of streams and forested buffers.
- Articles
Repairing My Stream: Do I Need a Permit?
Having a stream in your yard can be a beautiful addition to your property. It can also be a source of frustration and confusion when things aren't going well. - Webinars
$30.00
Backyard Stream Repair Series
When 08/11/2024Length 1.5 hour twice a week for 2.5 weeksJoin this virtual series to learn simple and affordable techniques to help repair your stream. - Webinars
$30.00
Backyard Stream Repair Series (Non-Credit)
When 08/11/2024Event Format On-Demand | RecordedDuring this on-demand webinar series, learn simple and affordable techniques to help repair your stream. - Videos
Growing Great Buffers
Growing Great Buffers is a series of short, helpful videos that describe step-by-step maintenance tasks needed for newly planted riparian buffers. - Articles
What are Combined Sewer Overflows?
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are a priority water pollution concern because they discharge a combination of stormwater, untreated human and industrial waste, and other stormwater pollutants into our waterways. - Articles
Backyard Stream Repair
What is the condition of the small stream on your property? Are the banks eroding? Do you notice increased sediment in the water? Is it prone to rising and falling quickly during rain events? - Articles
Riparian Stabilization on an Acre or Less
This article discusses controlling water's edge erosion problems on small riparian sites. - Articles
A Green Solution to Stormwater Management
As landscapes grow and develop, the health of streams and rivers affects the quantity and quality of the rainfall entering waterways; what many call stormwater. - Articles
Multifunctional Riparian Forest Buffers: More Than Just Trees
Thoughtful selection of streamside trees and shrubs can have the added bonus of producing fruit, nuts, berries, or woody florals for profit or personal enjoyment. - Articles
Sinkholes and Underground Cavities Due to Human Activity
A sinkhole is one of several things that can lead to land subsidence, where the ground sinks gradually or suddenly. - Articles
Rain to Drain: Slow the Flow Adaptation
Tips for using the Rain to Drain: Slow the Flow Curriculum at fairs and community events when time is limited. - Videos
Why Use a Rain Barrel?
Length 6:11Homeowners can reduce stormwater runoff on their property by installing rain barrels under downspouts. The captured water can be used various ways around the landscape. - Videos
Live Staking - A How-to Guide
Length 12:56A video guide to affordable and easy stream bank restoration using branch cuttings called live stakes. - Articles
Rain to Drain: Slow the Flow Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
The following is a list of Middle School Level performance expectations from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)*, which are addressed by Rain to Drain – Slow the Flow. - Articles
Rain Barrel Winter Maintenance – Don't Forget to Disconnect!
Rain barrels need little annual maintenance, but it’s best to empty and disconnect them every winter. - Articles
Rainwater Cisterns: Design, Construction, and Treatment
Roof-catchment cisterns are systems used to collect and store rainwater for household and other uses. - Articles
First Investigation of Stream Health (FISH) Protocol
Do you enjoy outdoor activities? Become a community scientist. First Investigation of Stream Health (FISH) monitors changes to local streams and their habitats. - Articles
Rain to Drain: Slow the Flow Curriculum
Rain to Drain: Slow the Flow is a hands-on stormwater education curriculum available from Penn State Extension Youth Water Resources and 4-H. - Articles
Selecting a Faircloth Skimmer
A skimmer is a basin dewatering control device that withdraws water from near the basin's water surface, removing the highest quality water from the basin for delivery to the uncontrolled environment. - Videos
Rain Gardens
Length 7:37Learn about how to manage precipitation run-off and add to the aesthetic environment by building a suburban rain garden. - Articles
The Role of Trees and Forests in Healthy Watersheds
Managing stormwater, reducing flooding, and improving water quality. - Articles
Creating an Infiltration Surface
Information for contractors to properly build an infiltration surface; the soil surface where stormwater or wastewater is expected to enter the soil profile. - Articles
Infiltrating Stormwater
Guidance to stormwater designers about assessing a potential stormwater infiltration site to determine the rate and volume of stormwater that can be expected to infiltrate into the soil.