Middle Blue River Basin Pilot Project

In 2010, the Kansas City, MO Water Services Department implemented the first major green infrastructure “Pilot” Project to determine the effectiveness of using green infrastructure as a means to reduce combined sewer overflows within the 100 acre Middle Blue River Basin Watershed. The project team evaluated the cost and effectiveness of combing infiltration and Inflow (I&I) controls with Best Management Practices (BMPs) compared to conventional “gray” stormwater management system.

To meet the goal of the City’s Long-Term Control Plan to capture approximately 300,000 gallons of stormwater, the Pilot Project implemented a range of storage facilities distributed throughout the urban, mixed-use residential and commercial Marlborough neighborhood. More than 135 vegetated BMPs (bioswales, bio-retention cells and raingardens) were constructed, together with approximately 30,000 sf. of non-vegetable BMPs located along the back side of curbs and in newly constructed curb extensions. Subsurface storage systems to retain and detain runoff prior to entering the storm sewer collection were constructed under new pervious concrete and pervious paver sidewalks. These new underground technologies were utilized to avoid the myriad underground utilities in the Troost corridor.

Taliaferro & Browne served as the Green Team Leader for the project which was led by the URS Corp. (now Aecom) and provided civil engineering, landscape architecture and land surveying services. T&B also led the design efforts along Troost Avenue and the residential streets west of Troost. The project team worked closely with property and business owners throughout the design process to locate gardens and develop planting plans that would be acceptable to home owners and to encourage disconnection of downspouts and the use of rain barrels.