Beaufort County Government and Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort CCC) staff learned about stormwater management methods and regulations at Beaufort CCC, where they also toured several working examples on campus.
The event highlighted Low Impact Development (LID), a design approach that uses natural and engineered techniques to manage stormwater on-site. By slowing, filtering, and absorbing rainfall where it lands, LID reduces flooding, protects water quality, and lessens the environmental impacts of development.
Benefits of Low Impact Development
LID methods can:
- Improve water quality by removing pollutants carried in stormwater runoff.
- Reduce the amount of stormwater runoff reaching rivers and streams, protecting the natural aquatic habitat.
- Retain more rainfall on-site, allowing rainwater to infiltrate the ground.
- Lessen flooding and property damage by reducing the volume and speed of stormwater runoff.
LID Projects on Campus
After a presentation on the basics of stormwater and LID methods, attendees toured three LID projects on Beaufort CCC’s campus:
- Constructed Wetland: Funded by an NC Environmental Enhancement Grant, this wetland helps clean and slow stormwater as it flows off rooftops and parking lots, reducing pollutants that would otherwise enter Broad Creek and the Pamlico River. Created in partnership with Sound Rivers, this project is located on the west side of campus.
- Permeable Pavement Parking Lot: Funded through the NC Resilient Coastal Communities Program, this lot near the Public Services Driving Pad filters runoff as it percolates through pavement and media before discharging through an underdrain, reducing pollutants and allowing vegetation to grow between pavers.
- Rain Garden: Located outside of Building 5, this feature uses soil and plants to naturally filter runoff as it is absorbed into native soil.
The permeable pavement and rain garden are part of Beaufort CCC’s new Low Impact Development Demonstration Site. Beaufort County, in partnership with the Mid-East Commission, secured grant funding for the project. The engineering and design phase was funded by a Phase 3 NC Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP) grant, while construction was supported by a $194,166 Phase 4 RCCP grant with a $16,394 local match approved by the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners.
Protecting Water Quality
Low Impact Development protects water quality by creating a landscape that mimics natural hydrologic functions such as infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration.
The public is encouraged to visit Beaufort CCC’s campus to see these LID projects in action. The permeable pavement parking lot is open and available for use.