New Study on Green Infrastructure to Assess Stormwater Management

Posted August 13th, 2009 in News, Stormwater & Green Infrastructure

Green roof tops are sprouting up around Chicago. But what is the most useful way to incorporate green infrastructure into urban settings? Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) Environmental Planning Specialist Martin Jaffe recently received a $300,000 grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to assess the use of green infrastructure for urban stormwater management in Illinois.

Green infrastructure is a growing movement toward sustainable, environmentally-friendly approaches to land use planning. Popular practices include rain gardens, permeable pavements, and green roofs, which seek to maximize on natural resources while maintaining environmental health. Jaffe’s team will be collecting data and monitoring the performance of such practices in urban environments.

“This study should help state officials decide which green infrastructure proposals ought to be funded and which should be given lower priority, based on the proven effectiveness of the various best management practices in different settings,” said Jaffe, who is also an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jaffe’s results will also be used by IISG to develop a plan to inform local officials, municipal engineers, and planners about the proper role of green infrastructure in urban stormwater management.

The 18-month grant is the result of recent legislation, mandating a statewide study of green infrastructure in Illinois. Jaffe’s co-principal investigators will be studying the effect of wetlands in various landscapes on pollution control.

This study also coincidentally comes on the heels of a rise in flood peaks in Chicago metropolitan areas, due to growing urbanization, as documented by IISG-funded research by Momcilo Markus, Illinois State Water Survey.

“We are not focused on urban flood peaks,” Jaffe said. “However, flood peaks have a complex relationship to green infrastructure. Some green infrastructure best management practices, such as wetlands, can provide flood storage, and practices encouraging infiltration and on-site storage can potentially reduce such peaks through minimizing runoff to surface waters.”

The study’s consultants include Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Center for Neighborhood Technology, who will be examining the legal standards of green infrastructure in urban stormwater management and whether measures used in the study will be transferable to downstate rural counties and small towns.

IISG Instagram

Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.

Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Full story at the link in bio.

15 0
Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17847944430638356
Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.Full story at the link in bio.

There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!

Learn more & register at the link in bio.

7 0
Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18063625076281979
There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!Learn more & register at the link in bio.

🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists!
We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.

They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.

Full story at the link in bio.

16 0
Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17925527007208099
🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists! We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.Full story at the link in bio.