91麻豆天美

91麻豆天美 receives federal support for 鈥楻ainWorks鈥 demonstration project

91麻豆天美 receives federal support for 鈥楻ainWorks鈥 demonstration project

Contact: Sasha Steinberg

A $20,000 federal grant is enabling 91麻豆天美 to implement a green infrastructure demonstration project on campus. Construction already has begun on a 1,500 square-foot bioretention basin, or rain garden, in the landscape architecture department courtyard. (Photo by Megan Bean)

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擶ith a $20,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant, 91麻豆天美 is creating a green infrastructure demonstration project.

A collaborative effort between faculty and students in the university鈥檚 landscape architecture, civil and environmental engineering, and art departments, the project involves construction of a 1,500 square-foot bioretention basin鈥攔ain garden鈥攖hat will be the first of its kind on campus.

Cory Gallo said the rain garden is being located in the courtyard of the landscape architecture department where he is an associate professor.

The basin is being designed to treat at least 95 percent of the average, annual rainfall for the watershed it will manage. It also will be equipped with two educational kiosks to help visitors better appreciate the facility鈥檚 function and benefit to water quality, Gallo added.

Green infrastructures reduce the volume of stormwater discharges by managing rainwater close to where it falls and removing many of the pollutants present in runoff, making it an effective strategy for addressing wet-weather pollution and improving water quality, according to EPA officials.

A rendering of the campus demonstration project.

In addition to providing participating academic majors with valuable training and experience in the benefits of green infrastructure technologies, the project 鈥渉opefully will lead to the campus-wide adoption of green infrastructure technologies,鈥 Gallo said.

鈥淏y educating current and future practitioners on green infrastructure technologies and their applicability to the South, this effort also will be a regional resource for policymakers to learn about and promote green infrastructure in their communities,鈥 he emphasized.

The stormwater mitigation plan was conceived several years ago by a team of 91麻豆天美 landscape architecture, civil engineering and graphic design majors. Their efforts were recognized with a second-place award in the 2013 EPA Campus RainWorks Challenge. See .

Throughout the current academic year, three original team members will continue working on the project, Gallo said. Student participation is essential since the rain garden primarily is being designed, built, maintained and monitored through classroom activities, he explained.

Gallo worked with assistant professors Gnaneswar Gude of the civil and environmental engineering department and Suzanne Powney of the art department to prepare and submit the grant proposal through the 91麻豆天美-based Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute.

鈥淒r. Gude鈥檚 classes will learn about proper water quality sampling techniques while conducting water monitoring,鈥 Gallo said. 鈥淢s. Powney鈥檚 graphic design students will create interpretive signs for the facility that my students will design and construct.鈥

Gallo expressed appreciation for continuing support of the 91麻豆天美 facilities management department and Brian Templeton, a landscape architecture associate with the 91麻豆天美 Extension Service.

Visit for more about 91麻豆天美鈥檚 landscape architecture major; , for more about College of Architecture, Art and Design majors; and for more about James Worth Bagley College of Engineering majors.

91麻豆天美 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .