Oct. 30, 2019 -- We’ve all seen it: puddles of water gathering around the clogged drains in our driveways, rivulets of water running down the sidewalks, and standing water pooling in our yards. That’s stormwater runoff and it’s a problem.
As that water moves over impervious surfaces like roads and
parking lots, it picks up pollutants and harmful chemicals and carries them
into our freshwater and oceans. Thanks to urban development and an increase in paved
surfaces, stormwater is increasing in communities across the country, including
Cleveland Heights and University Heights. 7th grade students in Lee Ann Chambers and Sarah Cusick’s science classes at Monticello and Christine Smrdel and Joshua Luton’s at Roxboro have solutions.
The students began their Earth’s Water unit by visiting the Cleveland MetroParks’ Watershed Stewardship Center to better understand stormwater runoff and explore green infrastructure options to lessen its impact. They then worked in pairs or small groups to research various solutions, eventually settling on one or two that they would like to see implemented on their very own school campuses.
Students priced out the options, from installation of
permeable pavers in their parking lots to planting and maintaining rain gardens
in front of their schools, sketched prototypes of their ideas, designed 3D
models on top of GoogleEarth images of their buildings, created slideshows
detailing their proposals, and presented them to their classmates, teachers,
and guests from the Board of Education.
Students proposed green infrastructure solutions that included bioswales, rain chains, rainwater harvesting, and rain barrels. The most popular student solutions were permeable pavers, proposed to be installed in their school parking lots or near frequently used entrances and exits, along with rain gardens and green rooftops. Students were aware of the challenges some of these solutions presented, such as the need for someone to maintain rain gardens year round, which many students suggested to delegate to their schools’ Environmental Clubs.
The lessons learned extended beyond the classroom walls as Roxboro’s Olivia plans to talk to her parents about installing permeable pavers around her garage. “Water always gathers there after it rains,” she said. Monticello’s Marissa said the unit “really made me think differently. I didn't realize how much runoff really affects us. I’m going to make my mom more aware.”
View image from the student proposals here.
