The Art of Stormwater Management grant, awarded by Washington State Department of Ecology, funded the installation of a green roof, pervious pavement and bioretention in the Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Building. The project provides a unique stormwater educational experience for visitors to the museum in addition to funding a 2-year monitoring program to determine the effectiveness of the low impact development (LID) elements. The Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Building is a prominent, high-profile and prestigious attraction located in the heart of Downtown Bellingham’s Art District. The project reduced the site’s impervious surfaces by 38% by adding the following LID elements to the building:
These improvements will help ease peak flow rates by reducing stormwater runoff by 64% based on a 2-year storm event. Most importantly, the grant will fund the creation of a robust and diverse public education campaign including:
Education, by nature, is a preventative action used to foster future results. This project will seamlessly integrate and display the form and function of three effective and beautiful low impact development techniques into a unique educational environment.
