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The
aim of this project was to retrofit seven Homeowner Association-owned
stormwater basins from traditional mown grass to provide more natural
infiltration, greater uptake of stormwater using vegetation and greater
community understanding of stormwater issues.
Over the course of two and a half years, the Perkiomen Watershed
Conservancy (PWC) has assisted the privately owned and managed Mayfield
Estates in retrofitting seven traditional stormwater basins using native
plant materials and a new maintenance regime. The Mayfield Estates
Homeowners Association contacted the PWC in 2007 requesting information
about how they could upgrade the basins located in the development’s
common open space area.
The PWC worked with the community to inform the residents about the
proposed changes, explaining how the basins would not only look
different but would also operate differently. Kelly Germann,
Conservation Coordinator for the PWC, coordinated the effort by
designing the planting plans for the basins, applying for funding,
organizing volunteers, and directing the retrofits over the course of
numerous planting days with the community's volunteers.
Regrading the basins was not necessary to achieve stormwater reduction.
Plants were located to take advantage of the settling that had occurred
in the basins since their installation 8 years ago. Native species were
selected for the retrofit, including wetland and emergent perennials and
wet meadow grass mixes. Nearly 200 trees and shrubs, hundreds of
perennial plants, and a new seed mix were installed. Residents provided
the labor for the retrofits and are helping spread the word among their
community about the benefits of the natural characteristics of the
replanted basins. The community now has seven naturally functioning
basins with a greater array of native plants and habitats that will
enhance the privately managed open space for many years to come.
The PWC has been reaching out to private property managers to help
bridge the gap between public MS4 regulations and mostly unregulated,
private properties. The PWC has hosted workshops aimed at Homeowner's
Associations and the large number of privately managed basins that
proliferate throughout the watershed. Additional grants and Homeowner
Association partnerships have been developed to help maintain the
momentum of this project.
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