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45 <br /> MANAGEMENT DESIGN & <br /> FOR RESILIENT LANDSCAPES <br /> LOW-IMPACT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT <br /> Low Impact Development (LID) uses micro-scale techniques to manage precipitation as close to <br /> where it hits the ground as possible. LID is grounded in a core set of principles based on the <br /> paradigm that stormwater management should not be seen as simply disposal and that <br /> numerous opportunities exist within the developed landscape to control stormwater runoff close <br /> to the source.-Underlying these principles is an understanding of natural systems and a <br /> commitment to work within their limits. <br /> LID uses a systems approach that emulates natural processes with distributed small-scale <br /> practices throughout the landscape. The emphasis is on simple, nonstructural, low-tech, and <br /> low-cost methods. A near limitless universe of runoff control strategies, combined with common <br /> sense and good housekeeping practices, are the essence of a LID strategy. <br /> Bioretention provides a good example of how LID management practices work. What looks like a <br /> nicely landscaped area is in fact an engineered system that facilitates depression storage, <br /> infiltration, and biological removal of pollutants. Runoff is directed to these low-tech treatment <br /> systems instead of conventional stormwater infrastructure. Bioretention areas use plants and <br /> soil to trap and treat petroleum products, metals, nutrients, and sediments. Bioretention areas, <br /> also known as "rain gardens," are relatively inexpensive to build, easy to maintain, and can add <br /> aesthetic value to a site, without consuming large amounts of land. <br /> Other common LID practices include: <br /> 1. Vegetated Swales, Buffers, and Strips <br /> 2. Rain Barrels and Cisterns <br /> 3. Permeable Pavers <br /> 4. Soil Amendments (to improve water absorption and retention) <br /> 5. Impervious Surface Reduction <br /> XERISCAPING <br /> Combining water conservation techniques with landscaping is a concept known as Xeriscape or <br /> dry landscape. Xeriscape is a term coined in a Denver, Colorado program designed to promote <br /> water conservation in the landscape. While the idea began in the western United States where <br /> landscapes can be truly dry, the same water-saving principles apply to the Southeast. <br /> Xeriscaping combines sound horticultural practices to conserve water while maintaining a <br /> beautiful landscape. The seven basic Xeriscape principles are: <br />