The County of San Diego said its Green Streets infrastructure acts as a natural filter for El Niño stormwater and that the county currently has 48 green-street projects; 10 are completed and 38 are in planning, design or construction.

Green Streets use features such as biofiltration basins, tree wells, vegetated swales, trash capture devices and permeable pavement to slow stormwater, capture pollutants and let water soak into soil and planted areas; the county said these systems remove trash, bacteria, nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants.

The county identified the Rainbow Water Quality Project as its largest completed GSI project; it includes about 3,400 feet of underground wetland channels that capture and filter stormwater from nearly 345 acres in the Santa Margarita Watershed and also upgrades local roads and drainage along Huffstatler Street, 5th Street and Rainbow Valley Boulevard.

Project street upgrades include 500 feet of new sidewalk, two ADA-accessible ramps and 27 rebuilt driveways to improve safety, access and neighborhood connectivity; the county said many green-street projects also improve water infiltration and reduce flooding.

The county presented Green Streets as part of a broader approach to managing stormwater and reducing flood risks; to prepare for the wet season the county directed readers to the Watershed Protection Program’s Storm Preparedness Resources webpage.

Sources & methodology

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County of San Diego

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