Washtenaw County Green Infrastructure Development Analysis

Abstract

Rain gardens and other types of green infrastructure help reduce surface water runoff from entering nearby water sources. Our goal is to locate areas that would benefit from the installation of green infrastructure, based on the three priority areas of water quality, equity, and wildlife, in the context of a changing climate. In this report, we show our analysis determining ideal locations in Washtenaw County for the development of green infrastructure based on the three priority areas. We incorporate parameters such as land-use tract areas, poverty status data, roadways, precipitation intensity, degraded creeksheds, etc. in order to calculate preference values that will show where to install green infrastructure. Final maps for each of the three priority areas are shown. We also discuss how climate change may affect the locations we have identified in the long term. Green infrastructure has numerous environmental, social, and financial benefits and therefore it may be beneficial for the Washtenaw County Water Resources Office to consider coordinating with SEMCOG and their green infrastructure efforts to increase resilience and avoid maladaptation.