June 20, 2012
Presentation about stormwater management projects at Sunset Zoo Thursday
At 7 p.m. Thursday, come to Sunset Zoo – enter at the new entry and walk or wheelchair down to the pavilion – to learn about two innovative stormwater management projects within the watershed implemented in the last year – the Sunset Zoo bio-retention area and the K-State Seaton Hall lower green roof.
The new multi-pool stormwater management bio-retention garden at Sunset Zoo, just west of the prairie dog display, includes native Flint Hills prairie plants well-adapted to the soils, topography, micro-climate and expected moisture levels within each part of the garden. The garden, limestone pathways and terraces were initiated in fall 2011 with assistance from Kansas State University faculty, staff and students. Sunset Zoo staff removed underutilized asphalt parking and a concrete walk. Zoo staff next rough-graded several pools to serve as stormwater collection areas. Volunteers placed rock terraces and walkways and planted vegetation to fit soils and landform.
The Seaton Hall lower green roof was installed in May 2012 by Kansas State University faculty, staff and students and can be readily seen by the public from the first-floor breezeway in Seaton Hall's west wing, roughly 100 feet north of the drop-off between Seaton Hall and the K-State Student Union.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has provided financial assistance to both projects through EPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Grants. These Clean Water Neighbor grants were received by Kansas State University’s department of landscape architecture/regional and community planning in fall 2010. Conceptual design ideas for both project sites were prepared by LAR 410 Planting Design students and refined by K-State faculty and staff.
For more information please contact:
Lee Skabelund, ASLA, associate professor in the department of landscape architecture/regional and community planning at lskab@k-state.edu.