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Arroyo Chico Riparian Design: Integrating Stormwater Management with Greenway Enhancement

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Arroyo Chico Riparian Design: Integrating Stormwater Management with Greenway Enhancement Arroyo Chico Riparian Design: Integrating stormwater management with greenway enhancement Item Type text; Electronic Report Authors Wang, Xi Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture, and the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author or the department. Download date 05/10/2021 15:39:36 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291176 Arroyo Chico Riparian Design Integrating stormwater management with greenway enhancement Xi Wang Master’s Report Landscape Architecture University of Arizona 2013 ABSTRACT The focus of this research is on re-de- sign of degraded riparian systems in a desert climate and urban context. Specifically, it ex- plores a landscape approach for rehabilitating the Tucson’s Arroyo Chico Wash. Analyses were performed to assess the site condition within its context to determine an appropriate treatment that addresses social and ecological functions. In particular, a greenway plan that implements water management infrastructure was designed on the site, creating social and ecological ben- efits for surrounding communities. Ultimately, it is the author’s intent to establish a framework and principles for similar riparian projects in urban environments. Acknowledgements Thanks to my Committee chair Margaret Livingston Committee members Ron Stoltz Lauri Johnson & Class MLA 2013 CONTENT Introduction 6 Project Background Site Overview Goals & Objectives Literature Review 10 Water Management Ecological Rehabilitation Greenway & Design Implementation Case Reviews 18 Water-related Projects Greenway Projects Design Implications Site Analysis 30 Site Inventory Constraints and Opportunities Arroyo Chico Riparian Design Design Implementation 39 Design Program Master Plan Focus Areas Design Vision: Design Phases for the Future Conclusion 57 References 58 Integrating stormwater management with greenway enhancement management with greenway stormwater Integrating Why Arroyo Chico? 01 Introduction Site Overview Introduction 01 Arroyo Chico (also known as Tucson Arroyo) is an ephemeral watercourse located in the Project Background central area of Tucson. The wash and its tributaries -- High School Wash, Railroad Wash, Cita- tion Wash, Paseo Grande Wash and Naylor Wash -- drain an area of 11.4 square miles located in central and downtown Tucson. The watershed is fully developed and contains a mix of residential, commercial and industrial area. The 6 miles’ section from Reid Park to Downtown Tucson is cho- sen as the study site. Riparian ecosystems are declining throughout the southwestern United States, and the remaining ones have been given more atten- Arroyo Chico has its uniqueness in several aspects: tion due to their ecological and social functions. As a watercourse, Arroyo Chico makes a great contribution to urban runoff management However, progress in preserving and enhancing and flood control, especially the flooding issue of 4th Avenue business district, which is down- the remaining systems still remains a challenge. stream of the wash. This report applies current research findings As a natural resource, it provides a habitat for wildlife and functions as a corridor in land- and noted strategies at a variety of sites along scape ecology. Arroyo Chico Wash in Tucson, Arizona. The in- As an urban greenway, it goes through the central neighborhood, connects downtown and tent of the work is to illustrate stormwater man- a series of open spaces, presenting a great potential for recreational use. agement and greenway design approaches at the urban scale that ultimately better serves the city Thus, the improvement of Arroyo Chico will help urban runoff and flood control, serve the neigh- fabric and inhabitants. borhood as a natural feature and a recreational amenity and make contribution to the revitaliza- tion of Downtown Tucson. View of the Santa Cruz River (the main river Arroyo Downtown Tucson Chico runs into) near downtown Tucson in 1904 and today The Santa Cruz River is usually a dry riverbed through much of the year, unless the area receives sig- nificant rainfall. This was not always the case, as it was a combination of human errors and natural catastrophes in the late nineteenth century that led to the decline of the Santa Cruz. Reid Park Arroyo Chico and neighborhood open spaces Arroyo Chico Riparian Design 6 Integrating stormwater management with greenway enhancement 7 Previous Efforts on Arroyo Chico Research Question Introduction 01 The concept of a linear park following the Arroyo Chico What are some of the appropriate and applicable strate- Wash from Reid Park to Downtown Tucson has existed gies for rehabilitating the ecological function and en- for a long time. Previous work that focuses on different hancing the social value of Arroyo Chico Wash in Tuc- issues has been done by Pima County Regional Flood son? Control District and the City of Tucson in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Time Line Goals & Objectives 1986 1992 1996 2004 2007 1. Use water management practice to rehabilitate the • Arroyo Chico Area • Arroyo Chico Grade • Arroyo Chico • Arroyo Chico • Downtown Arroyo Chico's degraded riparian system. Plan Separation Detention Basin Greenbelt Bicycle & Infrastructure -Provide an analysis that assesses the water con- Demonstration Project Pedestrian System Study dition of Arroyo Chico and its watershed Project Kino Parkway to -Provide a water management design example for Ar- Parkway Terrace royo Chico 2. Design a riparian landscape that focuses on ecological and social benefits for the surrounding neighborhood -Provide a site analysis -Create a master plan for Arroyo Chico -Create specific site plan for 3 focus areas 3. Provide a conceptualize future vision for greenway enhancement and stormwater management along Ar- royo Chico Wash. Key words that will be addressed in this project: This project will provide an alternative design to make Arroyo Chico bet- Arroyo Chico Recreation Greenway ter serve the City of Tucson Flood Control Stormwater Management Ecological Restoration Water Community Design Treatment Arroyo Chico Riparian Design 8 Integrating stormwater management with greenway enhancement 9 Water Management Water management is the key to a riparian rehabilitation project. This part of literature review includes Literature Review theories of groundwater hydrology, stormwater management and water related green infrastructure. It seeks to il- Literature Review Literature 02 lustrate an understanding of water dynamics in riparian systems, find a proper strategy for flood control, and water 02 quality improvement. The Water Balance The term refers to the balance between the in- put of water from precipitation and snowmelt and the output of water by evapotranspiration, groundwater Literature review organization recharge and stream flow. It is used for computing ir- rigation demand, the soil moisture stresses under which Water Management natural vegetation can survive, the prediction of stream Eco-rehabilitation Design Strategies flow, water-table elevations, and human impact. The equation components include interception, evapo- • Riparian system • Landscape • Design transpiration, overland flow, change in soil moisture, • Stormwater ecology considerations change in ground water storage, and groundwater run- management • Restoring • General principles off. (Dunne and Leopold, 1978) • Water treatment biodiversity • Techniques Water cycle • Wetland • Human impact on • Greenway Stormwater Management • LID (Low Impact eco-system From the viewpoint of environmental health, Development) the most important aspect of stormwater design is what the design causes water to do. Previous approaches such as detention basins and stormwater wetland ponds failed in some ways mainly because they modify the excess runoff before it passes on downstream, but does not change the fact that it has been created in the first place. When rain falls on vegetated soil, it generally in- filtrates. Further infiltrating water removes pollutants, if there are any present, recharges groundwater, and re- stores stream base flow. In contrast, when an impervi- ous cover seals the soil surface, rainwater is deflected across the surface. The surface runoff flushes pollutants directly into streams; flooding, erosion, and habitat loss occur. Infiltration is lost, so groundwater declines; Difference between pervious and impervious surface streams and wetlands go dry in summer; aquatic eco- systems die; and public water supplies decline. Arroyo Chico Riparian Design 10 Integrating stormwater management with greenway enhancement 11 Infiltration, unlike any surface approach to storm- Constructed wetlands can provide several benefits water management, is capable, within the limitations for the management of urban watersheds, including: of specific sites, of solving most of the problems of ur- 1) stormwater management and control, 2) non-point ban runoff such as peak flow, base flow, groundwater source pollution, 3) treatment of wastewater, and 4) cre- recharge and quality. It calls on the power of the un- ation of habitats for wildlife. Instream wetlands are an derlying landscape. It should be implemented at the be- alternative only in low-order streams. They treat a sig- Literature Review Literature ginning of
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