Seasonal DesignThe Brizzolara Creek Project provides access from Poly Canyon Village student housing to the campus core, and treats storm-water runoff from the H-16 parking lot. Existing conditions incorporate minimal low impact design and recreational uses. Brizzolara Boardwalk offers students easier access, shady outdoor work areas, and educational resources. Due to California’s Mediterranean climate, plants must be versatile and able to deal with periods of prolonged drought...

... And several months of heavy rainfall. During these months, the site captures runoff and allows for it to infiltrate using multiple Best Management Practices. In addition, the bioretention also treats various contaminants including: pathogens, suspended solids, and agricultural nutrients. This rain also offers new educational opportunities in water resources and pollution prevention.

Pollution PreventionThe runoff from the H16 parking lot drains into Brizzolara Creek which is located at the south end of the site. Brizzolara Creek is part of the San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed, which encompasses agricultural, developed, and natural land, all of which contribute unique contaminants to storm-water runoff. The Environmental Protection Agency has imposed a Total Maximum Daily Load for pathogens on the watershed and the Steelhead Trout, which are indigenous to the region, are listed as endangered by the Endangered Species Act. It is important to reduce the pollutants that enter

the watershed wherever possible. The runoff from the H16 parking lot is susceptible to contamination from both agricultural and urban sources. The agricultural practices on campus contribute pathogens and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) from fertilizer and manure and erosion from clearing foliage for grazing land. Developed areas on campus introduce oil, grease, soap, toxic chemical, heavy metals, and sediments. Our design provides many opportunities for storm-water to infiltrate and contaminants to settle before entering Brizzolara Creek.

San Luis Obispo is classified as a warm/wet climate, with low levels of rainfall during summer months and high levels during winter months. Based on the EPA National Stormwater Calculator, in the next 35 years warm/wet climates will experience longer periods of drought and more intense and infrequent rainfall events. Our BMPs

Site HydrologyThe primary drainage plan on H16 is for storm-water to collect in a concrete basin and discharge to Brizzolara Creek through a steel culvert pipe. At a 5% slope, water flows over the impervious parking area, hits the curb along the southern boundary of the parking lot, and enters the detention basin through a curb cut. There is one drain northeast along the curb, but the drain is only 12 inches

wide and is clogged with debris. Since the detention pond is at the lowest elevation, all surface runoff is directed to the concrete basin. The concrete detention system was not designed to detain large quantities of water so there is flooding that occurs along the southern end of the site. In addition, the high velocity discharge into Brizzolara Creek is eroding the creek bed.

Proposed DesignOur design includes bio-swales, planter boxes, and a rain garden that will detain water during larger storm events. The swales and planter boxes will capture approximately 33% (0.32 acre-ft) of the rainwater before it reaches the southernmost edge of the site. The biological components will remove primary contaminants

from the water before they reach the rain garden, where the majority of the water will be detained. Here, the suspended solids will be settled out, with several of the contaminants being treated using local vegetation. The water will then either infiltrate or enter into a vertical pipe down to Brizzolara Creek.

Brizzolara Boardwalk registration number : D46

Agricultural areas in San Luis Obispo watershed

Developed areas in San Luis Obispo watershed

our prepared to handle these climate changes by providing bioretention areas to capture large quantities of water. In addition, the plants in our BMPs can handle drought as well as inundation. Our project also has 60% tree cover to reduce the heat island effect and minimize the impact on climate change.

Climate Change Resiliency

Average rainfall in San Luis Obispo 2014 Average temperature San Luis Obispo 2014

EPA National Stormwater Calculator