Below, find guides, tools, how-to videos and other useful resources to help you get started on your own stormwater management projects.
General Tools and Guides
Saving the Rain: Green Stormwater Solutions for Congregations
Developed by the EPA, this document helps congregations identify and implement green stormwater practices to protect water resources and enhance their landscapes.
EPA's How's My Waterway 2.0
This tool assembles publicly available water quality data into a user-friendly package to help identify areas of need where green infrastructure can improve water quality, assist in the ecological restoration of water bodies, and have a positive impact on aquatic resources and recreational opportunities.
Homeowners Guide to storm water Management Techniques
Developed in New hampshire,this storm water maintenance guide for homeowners includes information on how to get started with different storm water management techniques.
Resident's Stormwater Booklet
Kansas City's guide to help residents reduce runoff and prevent pollution with storm water management.
Manual of Best Management Practices for Stormwater Quality
Developed by the Kansas City Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) and the Kansas City Metro Chapter of the American Public Works Associaion (APWA) as a guide for applying stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to land development.
MARC's Green Infrastructure Playbook
This Playbook provides on-the-ground examples in the greater Kansas city region of the mutual benefits and beauty of considering Green Infrastructure solutions as a network.Revised 2018
The Value of Green Infrastructure
A Guide to Recognizing its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits" created by the Center for Neighbor Technology (CNT)
EPA's National Stormwater Calculator
This desktop application estimates annual rainwater amount and frequency of runoff from a specific site in the U.S. Estimates are based on soil conditions, land cover, rainfall records, and now includes climate models. Watch a brief video introduction.
Green Values® National Stormwater Management Calculator
Developed by the Center for Neighbor Technology (CNT), this calculator quickly compares the performace, cost and benefits of green infrastructure to conventional stormwater practices.
The Importance of Operation and Maintenance for the Long-Term Success of Green Infrastructure
Provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this report examines O&M practices of 22 green infrastructure projects.
Center for Watershed Protection
This program offers a number of resources and services. Visit their website to learn more.
National Tree Benefit Calculator
Calculates the benefits of planting a tree in terms of stormwater run-off reduction, property value, energy, air quality, and CO2.
Maintenance
Operation Maintenance of Green Infrastructure
This EPA webpage includes a few links to helpful maintenance documents for Green Infrastructure projects.
Planning for Green Infrastructure projects
This EPA webpage can help plan for larger scale Green Infrastructure projects.
Sample monthly inspection checklists of green infrastructure BMPs
Provided by the City of Lenexa, KS;
Practically Easy Landscape Maintenance
A Care Manual for Natural Drainage Systems created by Seattle Public Utilities
Stormwater Wet Pond and Wetland Management Guidebook
Published by EPA, February 2009
Aquatic Plants and Their Control
Developed by Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Stateion and Cooperative Extension Services, August 2005
Buffalograss Lawns
Developed by Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Stateion and Cooperative Extension Services, Sept. 2001
Maintaining Stormwater Systems
Developed by Northern Virginia Regional Commission, January 2007
Rain Gardens
Resident Rain Garden Booklet
Kansas City's brief guide to creating a rain garden of your own including ideas and how-to information.
Rain Garden Guidebook
An in-depth guide to implementing a rain garden with K-State's 2007 rain garden project for reference.
Rain garden brochure with planting guide
(provided by MARC in Kansas City)
Step-by-step instructions on how to make your own rain garden
Guide to rain gardens
Includes instructional videos with a cost calculator excel file and instructional videos
Sample native vegetation installation checklist
How-to videos:
Brief and simple explanation (video made by Friends of the Cedar River Water) |
Longer, more in-depth explanation (this video is an archived PPI webinar) |
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Permeable Pavement and Pervious Pavers
Smaller applications and homeowners
Permeable Pavement
This brief video explains how permeable pavement works, and the benefits of implementing it in our cities.
Installing a Permeable Paver Driveway
This Video walks you through a driveway project and the steps to installing previous pavers.
Green Patios, Walkways & Driveways of Porous Pavement and Pervious Concrete
Specifiers Guide to Pervious Concrete Pavements in the Greater Kansas City Area
This document, updated in 2017 was created for specifiers who are considering pervious pavement. It takes into considerations local climate and soils typical of the Kansas City region and the equipment, materials and processes needed for construction.
Businesses and larger applications
How-to videos
Brief overview of types of pervious pavement and pavers | Longer, more in-depth explanation (this video is an archived PPI webinar) |
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Streambank Restoration
Kansas Streambank Stabilization Projects
See what Kansas is doing to restore streams
Alternative Streambank Restoration Methods
FEMA’s guide to alternative means to stabilize and restore streambanks besides rip-rap, the layer of rocks along the unstable bank
This short video gives a basic explanation of how to stabilize a streambank from erosion.
Storm Water Ponds
Storm water Wet Pond and Wetland Management Guidebook
The guidebook produced by the EPA provides information on inspecting and maintaining ponds and wetlands.
Anatomy and Construction of a Pond
learn about the parts and contruction of a healthy storm water management pond through descriptions, a case study, and a video.
Other Resources
Case studies in and around Kansas
Funding sources and opportunities
Example ordinances