Stormwater
Rain gardens keep up to 99% of pollutants out of San Francisco Bay
The city's roadside rain gardens soak up stormwater and filter out dozens of harmful micropollutants.
Chicago's underground flood control system is almost full
The system known as Deep Tunnel has never filled much more than halfway, but the cumulative effect of recent rains is putting suburban communities at risk of flooding.
NYC Will Finally Bring Sewer System to Flood-Prone Brooklyn Neighborhood
A 12-block area known as ‘The Hole’ straddling Brooklyn and Queens has struggled with flooding and sewage contamination for decades.
St. Louis has a Secret Stormwater Weapon Saving 100 Million Gallons from the Mississippi
The city reimburses residents who install gardens, rain barrels, and other methods that retain stormwater and decrease the risk of flooding.
How Copenhagen Became a ‘Sponge City’
The Danish capital is implementing a massive, multi-pronged strategy to build resilience against flooding and shore up water supplies during drought periods.
Iowa Stormwater Infrastructure Needs Millions in Upgrades
More frequent flooding is prompting cities to evaluate their aging stormwater systems, but the necessary upgrades could be prohibitively expensive for small communities.
Grassroots Dutch Movement Replaces Pavement With Green Space
Neighbors engage in a practice known as “tegelwippen,” picking up paving stones and replacing them with permeable surfaces, often with the support of local governments.
Seattle Builds Subway-Sized Tunnel — for Stormwater
The $700 million ‘stormwater subway’ is designed to handle overflows during storms, which contain toxic runoff from roadways and vehicles.
Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.
‘Stockholm Tree Pit’ Saves Dying Urban Trees
After noticing that two-thirds of its trees were dying, Stockholm developed a new planting method to protect trees surrounded by concrete.
How US Communities Are Building Resilience Against Flooding
Flooding causes over $400 billion in damage in the United States every year.
Chicago to Update Stormwater Plan
Chicago is one of 700 U.S. cities with combined sewer and stormwater systems that often lead to flooding during major rain events.
Planning for Future Floods
New climate and flood models are needed to understand growing flood risks.
Study: Outdated Stormwater Infrastructure Exacerbates Flooding
Infrastructure built to mitigate flooding a century ago no longer serves current needs.
Sustainable Urban Design: A New Tool and Approach on The Talking Headways Podcast
Discover how the Sustainable Urban Design Framework helps planners create livable, sustainable communities. Nico Larco from the University of Oregon explores a new tool and book in the latest “Talking Headways” podcast.
Study: Combined Sewer Systems Face Increased Flood Risk
Cities like Philadelphia and Boston are at higher risk of sewage overflows due to their aging sewer systems and rising sea levels.
Study: D.C.’s Poorest Neighborhoods Are Most Vulnerable to Stormwater
Lack of gray and green infrastructure in the city’s densest communities, particularly in historically Black Southeast D.C., has led to higher amounts of flooding in those neighborhoods.
Los Angeles County Making Progress in Stormwater Capture
During this “super year” of storms, L.A. County has successfully captured 96 billion gallons of stormwater which is enough to meet the needs of about 2.4 million people a year.
Opinion: Cities Need Green Infrastructure to Weather Future Storms
How ‘sponge cities’ can protect residents and conserve water.
California's Stormwater Potential
A new study reveals that if California could collect and treat more stormwater in cities, it could provide enough water to supply a quarter of the state’s urban population.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
