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Designers should consult and include any local requirements regarding green infrastructure. O&M considerations often depend on whether the practice is located on public land, private land, or in the public right of way. For example, plantings in the public right of way that conflict with any traffic safety considerations could require increased O&M, such as pruning or complete removal. | Designers should consult and include any local requirements regarding green infrastructure. O&M considerations often depend on whether the practice is located on public land, private land, or in the public right of way. For example, plantings in the public right of way that conflict with any traffic safety considerations could require increased O&M, such as pruning or complete removal. | ||
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+ | Designers should also recognize the need to perform frequent maintenance to remove trash or excess sediment, check for clogging, and if necessary perform practice cleaning. Designers can incorporate design solutions to facilitate maintenance activities. Examples include: | ||
+ | *Incorporating multiple and easy site access points | ||
+ | *Providing recommendations of vegetation appropriate to the location | ||
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+ | The designer should also provide a site-specific O&M plan that includes the following: | ||
+ | *Construction inspection schedule and checklists | ||
+ | *Post-construction routine maintenance schedule and checklists | ||
+ | *Operating instructions for the practice (if applicable) | ||
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+ | For more design information for vegetated filter strips, click [https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=Design,_construction,_operation_and_maintenance_specifications_for_pretreatment_vegetated_filter_strips '''here''']</span>. |
Vegetated filter strips, also known as buffer strips or buffers, are vegetated land areas between a pollutant source and a surface water body. They can be stand-alone practices or used as a pre-treatment practice to other practices like bioretention or ponds. They reduce the flow velocity of water and filter and infiltrate pollutants such as sediment from stormwater. Vegetated filter strips may be subject to high public visibility, trash loads, sedimentation, pedestrian traffic, and even vehicular traffic or loads.
Vegetated filter strips require dedicated and regular maintenance to ensure proper and long-lasting operation, and in most cases a vegetated filter strip should be designed to be effective for at least 10 years (NRCS, 2010). The most frequently cited O&M concerns for vegetated filter strips include:
The sections below describe best practices to prevent or minimize these common problems.
Designers should design these practices in ways that prevent or minimize O&M issues. Examples include:
Designers should consult and include any local requirements regarding green infrastructure. O&M considerations often depend on whether the practice is located on public land, private land, or in the public right of way. For example, plantings in the public right of way that conflict with any traffic safety considerations could require increased O&M, such as pruning or complete removal.
Designers should also recognize the need to perform frequent maintenance to remove trash or excess sediment, check for clogging, and if necessary perform practice cleaning. Designers can incorporate design solutions to facilitate maintenance activities. Examples include:
The designer should also provide a site-specific O&M plan that includes the following:
For more design information for vegetated filter strips, click here.