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FREQUENTty Asam QUESTIONS STORMWATI R INFILTRATION PROGRAM Q1. What is the Stormwater Infiltration Program (SIP)? Q3. What is the boulevard and Right -of -Way? The Stormwater Infiltration Program, otherwise known as When land was developed and divided into individual lots, SIP, is the City's stormwater management approach to the developer gave a portion of this land to the City to use complying with the current stormwater rules and for streets, water, sewer, power, natural gas, telephone, regulations when reconstructing streets. These rules and mail, and other public uses. This land is called Right -of - regulations are mandated by the Clean Water Act and Way and varies In width, but is typically 50 to 66 feet wide. enforced locally through the Minnesota Pollution Control The streets are usually built In the middle of the Right -of - Agency and Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD). The SIP Way. The area between the street edge and your property uses stormwater infiltration basins, or rain gardens, In the line (where the Right-of-way ends) is called the boulevard. City -owned boulevard to infiltrate, or soak, part of the This boulevard blends into your front yard and typically stormwater runoff into the ground. This reduces the extends 10 to 20 feet behind the street edge toward your amount of runoff flowing into the City storm sewer that house. This boulevard area is where the infiltration. basins ultimately discharges into Rice Creek and other natural will be constructed. water bodies. The infiltration also allows the groundwater aquifers to be replenished. Q2. What does a stormwater infiltration basin look like? A stormwater infiltration basin looks like a shallow depression, or low area, in your front yard. The basin will have lawn grass like the rest of your yard and be located next to the street. The basin will be constructed in the boulevard area of the City -owned Right -of -Way. The new curb and gutter will have an opening that allows a portion of the street runoff to be directed into the basin. The basin width and length will vary based upon specific site conditions, runoff area, and available Right -of -Way. The bottom of the basins are typically 1 to 1 -lie feet lower than the top back of the curb, or 6 to 12 inches below the curb opening. The side slopes from the curb top and existing yard to the basin bottom will be no more than a 3:1 (horizontal to vertical) slope. This slope will allow for better maintenance and blending into your existing yard. Example of a stormwater infiltration basin Example of a rain garden Q4. What's the difference between a stormwater infiltration basin and a rain garden? A rain garden is a stormwater infiltration basin that is planted with flowers and shrubs instead of grass. The rain garden functions the same as an infiltration basin, allowing the stormwater runoff to infiltrate into the ground. The City will construct infiltration basins with lawn grass as part of the street reconstruction projects. If adjacent property owners prefer to have a rain garden, they will be responsible for the initial planting and on-goino maintenance of the rain garden. The City's Public Wor Department has an Adapt -A -Rain Garden application form that will need to be completed by property owners interested in planting a rain garden before construction of the infiltration basin is done.