Blue Notes by Kevin Shafer - Impervious Surfaces

In most parts of this planet, we find pavement.  Our roads, parking lots, and sidewalks are all mostly paved.  This is a great approach for transportation and is one of the reasons for our nation’s success.

There is also a downside to this.  All this impervious cover has led us to increased flooding and most of our nation’s cities have reached a tipping point.  Rainwater cannot infiltrate into the ground, so it flows over land and, during very large storms, floods homes and businesses.

We have even gone to the extreme of lining our rivers with concrete.  So, not only do the rivers collect more water from the impervious cover in urban settings, this water then shoots downstream and sometimes causes more flooding.  These concrete rivers have eliminated wildlife, straightened what used to meander, and decreased the quality of neighborhoods.

What we have learned is that we need to make sure that we create natural settings in our urban jungle – a place where people can live, work, and recreate in the same vicinity. 

In Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) has been working to remove concrete-lined rivers and to add natural infrastructure to our neighborhoods.  We are realizing improved fisheries, a better quality of life, and less flood potential.