ABSTRACT
Low-impact development (LID) techniques can effectively remedy much of the problem in areas with soils suited for infiltration and recharge. LID is defined as a stormwater management strategy emphasizing conservation and the use of natural features and plant materials. Pioneered in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the mid- 1980s and later implemented extensively in the Puget Sound area, LID is now widely accepted and used. The chapter focuses on natural approaches to stormwater management emphasizing infiltration and aquifer recharge, it is useful to review the impact that typical suburban development patterns have had on critical groundwater resources. Another characteristic of LID is its inherent flexibility, making it adaptable to urban infill and suburban and rural situations, as well as to new development or redevelopment. The greatest economic benefits are achieved in communities with combined wastewater and stormwater sewers, as LID can reduce the amount of storm runoff that consumes valuable sewage treatment capacity.
