Green Infrastructure

Working in partnership with the Middlesex County Department of Planning and the Middlesex County Water Resources Association (WRA), the LRWP is spearheading a natural asset mapping exercise for the Lower Raritan Watershed (Watershed Management Area 9). Preparations for this effort include a Winter-Spring 2016 speaker series and hosting of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s training “Introducing Green Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience.”

We work to advance four core goals through our Green Infrastructure work:

1) to identify prime places for GI interventions / restoration / preservation throughout WMA9;

2) to advance impervious cover remediation in Lower Raritan Watershed communities;

3) to provide an informed basis for Green Infrastructure initiatives to be included in pending updates of regional/County Comprehensive Master Plans; and

4) to promote inclusion of a mitigation plan component with Green Infrastructure implementation strategies into recertification of Municipal Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permits and stormwater management plans for municipal master plans.

Background

In February 2015 the LRWP, Middlesex County WRA and the Middlesex County Department of Planning hosted an Impervious Cover Reduction (ICR)/Green Infrastructure workshop facilitated by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources, at which time Rutgers distributed “Impervious Cover Assessments” to the 19 municipalities in attendance (Rutgers has developed ICAs for all municipalities in the LRW). Post-event surveys indicated participant interest in clear guidance for and assistance with implementation of the ICR plans, and an interest in a comprehensive watershed approach to stormwater planning in general. Furthermore we view development of a strategic approach to Green Infrastructure implementation in MS4 planning as a stepping stone toward development of a comprehensive Watershed restoration strategy, and as a means of advancing concepts of a multi-functional LRW landscape.

LRW Green Infrastructure Advisory Committee Members