City of Cambridge Green Street Guidance
CRWA worked with the City of Cambridge to incorporate green infrastructure into dense residential streets. CRWA developed conceptual Green Street designs for three Cambridge streets: Webster Avenue, Park Avenue, and Chestnut Street. By incorporating street trees, nature based treatment systems, and alternative roadway designs, Green Streets slow car traffic, enhance the neighborhood aesthetic, and improve local rivers and streams. The proposed designs demonstrate how cities and towns across the region can include green infrastructure techniques as a routine component of roadway improvement projects, and as a way to improve the quality of life in our urban communities.
Based on these individual street designs and feedback from residents and various City departments, the team developed Green Street recommendations for the City into the Cambridge Green Street Guidance Document. The team also modeled the water quality and flooding benefits of implementing Green Streets all across the city. Incorporating small scale green infrastructure into multiple streets across the City will have immense water quality benefits by reducing significant amounts of nutrient pollution reaching the Charles. Our modeling found that small scale green infrastructure can also have a modest impact on flooding reduction even in very large storm events, and potentially reduce combined sewer overflows.
Based on these individual street designs and feedback from residents and various City departments, the team developed Green Street recommendations for the City into the Cambridge Green Street Guidance Document. The team also modeled the water quality and flooding benefits of implementing Green Streets all across the city. Incorporating small scale green infrastructure into multiple streets across the City will have immense water quality benefits by reducing significant amounts of nutrient pollution reaching the Charles. Our modeling found that small scale green infrastructure can also have a modest impact on flooding reduction even in very large storm events, and potentially reduce combined sewer overflows.
Norfolk Stormwater Plan
In 2019, the Town of Norfolk and Charles River Watershed Association partnered to improve water supply sustainability in Norfolk using a two pronged approach focusing on water conservation and on increasing groundwater recharge through green infrastructure stormwater practices.
The team developed and implemented a campaign on water smart landscaping practices designed to reduce summertime water demand. Additionally, CRWA and the Town Planner also identified infiltration opportunities and developed conceptual level design recommendations for infiltration systems within the Town Center area.
The team developed and implemented a campaign on water smart landscaping practices designed to reduce summertime water demand. Additionally, CRWA and the Town Planner also identified infiltration opportunities and developed conceptual level design recommendations for infiltration systems within the Town Center area.
Water Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future
At CRWA we are working toward a resilient and equitable future for humans and nature. We design and promote infrastructure that replicates natural systems and integrates management of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater.
CRWA envisions a new paradigm in urban infrastructure that mimics natural water, carbon and nutrient cycles and ultimately rejects the concept of “waste.” CRWA has developed conceptual design for integrated water, energy and waste management at the neighborhood or “district scale” for both urban and suburban settings. In these districts, wastewater treatment takes place at decentralized Community Water and Energy Resource Centers (CWERCs). Wastewater is treated while energy is captured from both the biological components through anaerobic digestion and the physical components through thermal heat capture. Organic food waste is diverted from landfills to these facilities, often reducing trucking miles, and capturing the gas produced by degrading food waste to produce energy. Solid waste can be transformed into beneficial products such as compost for local food production. Treated water can be reused for non-potable uses such as heating and cooling, manufacturing or irrigation, reducing the demand on potable water sourced from local ground or surface water resources.
Some of the treated water will also restore the natural environment and beautify our neighborhoods through the creation of stream and wetland features and through groundwater infiltration. Green infrastructure fed by treated water will also provide treatment and storage of stormwater, integrating the two systems. Human water use will be merely a bend in the river, fitting into the natural cycle, not destroying it. Read more in Transformation: Water Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future.
CRWA envisions a new paradigm in urban infrastructure that mimics natural water, carbon and nutrient cycles and ultimately rejects the concept of “waste.” CRWA has developed conceptual design for integrated water, energy and waste management at the neighborhood or “district scale” for both urban and suburban settings. In these districts, wastewater treatment takes place at decentralized Community Water and Energy Resource Centers (CWERCs). Wastewater is treated while energy is captured from both the biological components through anaerobic digestion and the physical components through thermal heat capture. Organic food waste is diverted from landfills to these facilities, often reducing trucking miles, and capturing the gas produced by degrading food waste to produce energy. Solid waste can be transformed into beneficial products such as compost for local food production. Treated water can be reused for non-potable uses such as heating and cooling, manufacturing or irrigation, reducing the demand on potable water sourced from local ground or surface water resources.
Some of the treated water will also restore the natural environment and beautify our neighborhoods through the creation of stream and wetland features and through groundwater infiltration. Green infrastructure fed by treated water will also provide treatment and storage of stormwater, integrating the two systems. Human water use will be merely a bend in the river, fitting into the natural cycle, not destroying it. Read more in Transformation: Water Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future.