Representatives from the Towns of Arlington and Belmont, Mystic River Watershed Association and Bioengineering Group met to evaluate and prioritize sites for implementing green infrastructure. This work is part of the 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant and is focused on the Alewife Brook sub-watershed. Patrick Herron (MyRWA) presented on a GIS analysis of the two towns to evaluate both the geographic sources of stormwater pollutants and sites where infiltration of water is possible. The presentation on GIS examined surficial geology, hydrologic soil group, depth to water table and topographic slope. These are key characteristics when identifying ideal sites for infiltation-based green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and bioretention facilities. Each Town reviewed ten potential sites based on the following criteria: watershed benefits, ease of implementation, feasibility, ease of maintenance and community benefits. The consulting engineering team (Bioengineering) will visit the top 5 sites in each community to further evaluate feasibility.
