Assists in Stormwater Management

Compost – Assists in Stormwater Management

Compost is a great tool that can be employed as part of a larger stormwater management strategy. In particular its ability to slow down and infiltrate water makes it a great complement for green infrastructure projects that use natural ecosystem processes to accommodate stormwater flows.

Green Infrastructure

The move to reduce the environmental impact of development is called low-impact development, or LID. LID is defined as design and implementation of post-construction storm water hydrology that mimics pre-development patterns. LID management practices seek to reduce both peak flow rates and runoff volume by slowing flows and increasing infiltration thereby decreasing pollutant loads entering water bodies. Incorporating compost into these practices can dramatically lower runoff volume due to improved water holding capacity, healthy vegetation/biomass, and increased infiltration.