Green infrastructure is a cost-effective approach to treat stormwater at its source in a manner that has environmental and economic benefits. Stormwater runoff is a critical concern for cities as it causes a large amount of water pollution in urban areas. In cities and suburban areas, stormwater runoff carries trash, bacteria, metals, and other pollutants from the surrounding area into nearby bodies of water. Green infrastructure offers a solution to these pressing issues. Essentially, green infrastructure uses vegetation and soil to restore the natural processes of filtering water back into the Earth. Green infrastructure is a patchwork of natural area amidst an urban environment that allows vegetation to reabsorb and store water.
The City of Pinole has developed a Green Infrastructure Plan. This Plan will guide a shift from conventional "collect and convey" stormwater infrastructure to more resilient, sustainable stormwater management systems that reduce runoff volume, disperse runoff to vegetated areas, harvest runoff for reuse, promote infiltration and evapotranspiration, and use natural processes to detain and treat runoff.
Pinole Green Infrastructure Plan: December 16, 2019