West St. Sidewalk Permeable Pavement - Stormwater Discovery Tours

Where is this located? It is the sidewalk on the left side of West Street when heading up hill from Squalicum Way.

What’s special about this place? The sidewalk next to West Street is made of porous asphalt which allows rainwater and melting snow to soak directly into the ground below this sidewalk. This prevents the water which carries sediment, leaves, and other pollutants from flowing down the hill into Squalicum Creek. As the runoff soaks into the ground, nutrients and other contaminants are removed and broken down by bacteria in the soil. With the sidewalk’s proximity to Squalicum Creek, this is an ideal solution on this steep hill for reducing urban runoff into the creek.

About Permeable Pavement

Permeable pavements include pervious concrete, porous asphalt, and spaced pavers, which are installed over special layers of sand, gravel, and soil. Pervious concrete and porous asphalt have small spaces that allow stormwater to soak through them, while interlocking pavers allow water to soak between the pavers. In addition to reducing runoff, permeable pavements help filter out pollutants. Because they are capturing and retaining pollutants, it is necessary to regularly clean the pavement or gaps between pavers to maintain their permeability.

Water quality benefit: Permeable pavement surfaces are effective in managing runoff from paved surfaces because they capture and absorb stormwater runoff at the source. When water soaks through permeable pavements, it prevents pooling of water on the surface. Permeable pavements are also effective at trapping pollutants as the runoff filters through the underlying layers of sand and gravel.

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drainage area

Drains about 0.15 acres.

Where does this stormwater runoff come from? Rain falls on the sidewalk.

Where does this stormwater runoff flow next? Water infiltrates into the ground.

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