The City of Lacey is a leader in addressing water quality issues in the Puget Sound region to benefit the health and prosperity of the greater community. An important element of this resource protection is stormwater management.
“Low-impact development” (or L.I.D.), is promoted regionally (by the Washington Department of Ecology and the Puget Sound Partnership) as an efficient and effective means to manage stormwater. L.I.D. techniques include conservation of natural soils and vegetation, smart site planning to reduce impervious surfaces, and using small distributed stormwater features to mimic natural infiltration.
Lacey was the first city in the state to adopt a “zero-effect drainage discharge” ordinance to allow and encourage low-impact development. There are now more than 20 sites in Lacey that are utilizing L.I.D. techniques to reduce runoff and manage stormwater more naturally.
To further encourage the use of L.I.D. techniques, Lacey’s 2010 Stormwater Design Manual not only strongly promotes these innovative techniques, but also provides technical guidance for the design and construction of L.I.D. features such as rain gardens and permeable pavement.
For more information on sustainable stormwater designs, contact Doug Christenson, Lacey Water Resources, Stormwater Division, at (360) 491-5600.
Download the 2010 Stormwater Design Manual at:
http://www.ci.lacey.wa.us/water_resources/water_resources_main_page.html