Page 15 - 7086 - Managing Rainwater Booklet_Neat

permeable paving choices BENEFITS DRAWBACKS

COMPOST CHOICE

Best All-Purpose Compost made from yard debris or barnyard recycled and readily improperly made
Materials manure available compost can contain
contains balanced weeds, pests, and
diseases
nutrients
PAVER TYPE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS DRAWBACKS TYPICAL LOAD
Tips: yard trimmings can be composted at
home
Pavers Interlocking concrete low maintenance some manufacturers require medium -
pavers are shaped to available in a variety of styles professional installation high
interlock but also allow and colors can't be sanded for ice and snow
water through the joints, Leaves (composted or fresh) no cost usually contain some
and the aesthetic of brick reusable; can be reconfigured require excavation to allow for a base weed seeds
rich in nutrients
and stone pavers. extremely durable course
ideal for driveways or high-
use patios and walks
Other Materials Aged bark or sawdust improves drainage in fresh materials must
clay soils be composted until
good for trees and
Concrete open celled Concrete lattice with open works well on level sites for requires routine landscape maintenance dark brown in color,
medium-low
or they can tie up
shrubs
paving grids area for drainage to be occasional parking areas or of lawn, weeding, reseeding, and nutrients and inhibit
used with grass or crushed low-use walkways irrigation (for grids with grass) plant growth
stone has a traditional yet can be difficult to avoid compaction
modern appeal. which can kill vegetation
Peat moss uneven surface can be difficult for does not support
improves moisture
wheelchair travel soil life
and nutrient storage
in sandy soils
production can
be harmful to the
Plastic lattices Plastic grid system, works well on level sites for requires routine landscape maintenance environment.
low
sometimes with filter occasional parking areas or of lawn, weeding, reseeding, and
fabric, to be used low-use walkways irrigation (for grids with grass)
with grass or crushed an eco-friendly option -often can be difficult to avoid compaction
Improves moisture
stone (“grasscrete” and Coconut coir which can kill vegetation does not support
made with 100% recycled
and nutrient storage
“gravelcrete”). plastic only certain products are suitable for soil life
in sandy soils
wheelchair travel
Topsoil mixes good for raised beds may contain poor fill
Permeable concrete Permeable concrete is even surface good for like conventional concrete, permeable soil or weed (best to
medium-high
on top of compacted
made with larger pea wheelchair accessibility concrete is energy-intensive to make use mixes containing
or poorly drained
gravel and fewer fines accommodates relatively and has a large carbon footprint only compost and
soil
to achieve a pebbled, high traffic volumes good installation depends on clean sand)
open surface that allows contractor’s experience
stormwater infiltration. long-lasting if installed
correctly difficult and expensive to install in small
MULCH CHOICE batches BENEFITS DRAWBACKS
Permeable asphalt Open-graded asphalt with works well with pedestrian- wears out faster than concrete or pavers medium
reduced fines and stable only areas and for low- good installation depends on
air pockets allow water to volume, low-speed areas contractor’s experience
drain to the soils below. such as overflow parking
even surface good for difficult and expensive to install in small
batches
wheelchair accessibility
“Hollywood driveways” Any attractive approach to cheaper than driveways long driveways may be hard to follow or medium-low
improving your driveway, constructed with solid back up on
this approach consists of concrete works better on straight driveways where
a vegetated strip running reduces impervious surface the automobile can stay on the tracks
between two parallel since less concrete is needed
strips of concrete, spaced if used on a driveway or alley that
so that a vehicle’s wheels adds green space and requires turning, the center strip will
can drive on them. character to your driveway become compacted over time
can be low maintenance maintenance level depends on what is
planted between strips

green stormwater solutions |15