Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.57
Liaison Greg Maginn
Submission Date Jan. 22, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

The Ohio State University
OP-27: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Kent Halloran
Safety Engineer
Environmental Health and Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution use Low Impact Development (LID) practices as a matter of policy or standard practice to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff volume and improve outgoing water quality for new construction, major renovation, and other projects?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s Low Impact Development (LID) practices:

Ohio State follows the City of Columbus’s Stormwater Drainage Manual which provides guidance on Stormwater quality and quantity control for construction activities.


Has the institution adopted a rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, or strategies that mitigate the rainwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations through the use of green infrastructure? :
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies for ongoing campus operations:

Compliance with our MS4 and our stormwater management plan, with emphasis on public education and involvement and the incorporation of green infrastructure and low impact development concepts when applicable..


A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
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Rainwater harvested directly and stored/used by the institution, performance year:
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A brief description of any rainwater filtering systems employed by the institution to treat water prior to release:
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A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:

Ohio State has several green roofs across campus. As one example, the Green Roof on Howlett Hall is the first retrofit green roof at the university and is an extension of the Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens. It is a 12,000 square foot green roof, which mitigates over 200,000 gallons of rainwater each year, reduces heating and cooling costs for the portion of the building below it, and increases biodiversity.

+ Date Revised: April 1, 2016

A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:

Ohio State has several rain gardens on campus. The oldest active rain garden on campus is located behind Jennings Hall. The Jennings Hall rain gardens consist of 22 vegetated boxes. This form of green infrastructure helps filter and slow the runoff from storm events by filtering the rainwater from the roof of Jennings Hall, storing it in a 50,000 gallon cistern, and finally discharging the stormwater through a vegetated bioswale to the area storm sewers. A pumping system allows the stored water within the cistern to be used for supplementary irrigation during dry periods. This system not only filters the storm water, but it provides retention and opportunity for storm water reuse.

+ Date Revised: April 1, 2016

A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):

Sloopy Swale is one of Ohio State’s bioswales, which help reduce peak flows during rainfall events, filter the collected water, and reduce pollutant concentrations. The Sloopy Swale consists of planted native wetland or water tolerant perennials and native trees. This location not only improves the university’s stormwater facilities, but also serves as an area to engage the public thus helping Ohio State fulfill its MS4 permit. The native perennials also serve as a pollinator garden.

+ Date Revised: April 1, 2016

A brief description of any other rainwater management technologies or strategies employed by the institution:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s rainwater management initiatives, plan or policy is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.