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Reduces flooding |
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Improves water quality |
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Provides multiuse green space |
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The Quinton Heights project was initiated through a request from the Quinton Heights-Steele Neighborhood Improvement Association (NIA). The neighborhood is located in an established area of the City and is noted for its steep streets and alleyways that do not have built in storm sewers. The steepness in conjunction with the age of the neighborhood and the lack of storm sewers contributed to a large amount of water rushing through the neighborhood during each rainstorm, causing street and yard flooding and erosion. The City of Topeka Water Pollution Control Division (WPC) worked with the NIA to develop a plan to address the stormwater issues that would reduce flooding, improve water quality and provide green space in the neighborhood.
The planned improvements for the project included the addition of two detention areas, two bioretention swales, the reforming of some street ditches and the installation of some new storm sewers. The detention basins were planted with a tall grass prairie seed mix on the slopes and more water loving grasses in the center.
The linking of these various strategies are helping reduce flooding by holding some of the stormwater runoff and allowing it to travel through the neighborhood at a slower rate. In addition native plants have been planted in the detention areas and will soon be planted in the bioretention swales. The use of native plants will help slow the water down, increase infiltration and improve water quality. Water quality is improved through the interaction of the stormwater with the plants and their root systems. In order to demonstrate changes in infiltration and water quality over time, Kansas State University's Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department is studying the detention basin on Central Park Street.
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