• Home
  • About
  • Calendar
  • Plant Database
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Board of Trustees Login

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

Become a Member Donate
  • Plan Your Visit
  • Trails and Maps
  • Programs and Events
  • Learn
  • Get Involved
You are here: Home / Arboretum / Construction Begins on Permeable Paver Parking Lot

March 10, 2021 by Renee Frith

Construction Begins on Permeable Paver Parking Lot

Permeable pavers. Photo credit: Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

You may notice some construction across the street from the Visitor Center. We know parking has been a challenge recently, so we’re adding additional parking. BUT, it’s not just any blacktop parking lot. The new lot will be constructed with permeable pavers – a much more green material.

You may be wondering what is a permeable paver. So, here’s your permeable paver crash course:
What are permeable pavers?
A paver that allows water to filter through the paver and into the soil layers below.
What is the difference between permeable and non-permeable pavers?
Permeable pavers allow water to filter into the soil layers below, whereas non-permeable pavers don’t. Water slides off non-permeable pavers  – down gutters and into storm drains.
Photo credit: Napa County Watershed Information and Conservation Council

What is the benefit of permeable vs non-permeable pavers?
Think about where we use hard surfaces – roadways, parking lots, sidewalks, etc. Now think about what normally in on these surfaces – vehicles.

With that in mind, think about what each is made of: permeable pavers are made of materials such as brick, cement block, crushed aggregate, etc. Non-permeable pavers are primarily made from a solid surface of cement or asphalt.
The benefit of permeable pavers is that any pollutants such as oil, gas, brake dust, etc. that is left in the parking lot after cars leave will remain until a rain comes. The water from the rain will collects these pollutants, which will then be leached (filtered) down through the permeable pavers and into the soil layers below.
The drawback of non-permeable pavers is that, like permeable pavers, pollutants stay on the surface until the rain comes, but the water from the rain collects these pollutants and carries them through the gutter and down the storm drain.
Why does it matter is pollutants go down the storm drain?
Storm drains catch all storm water run off from non-permeable surfaces. The storm water that is carrying pollutants does not go through a water treatment facility. It goes straight into a nearby body of water. Sometimes it goes into man-made retention ponds, and other times it flows into waterways. That’s right – this is an a-b transaction for pollutants in our waterways.
Side Note: roofs are also a major source of storm water runoff. Green roofs are a solution to reducing roof water runoff, as are rain barrels.
So what happens if the permeable pavers can’t filter all the water?
Great question! There are times of extremely heavy rainfall making it impossible for all the water to filter through the permeable pavers. Any overflow water will travel into an overflow area called a rain garden. This type of garden utilizes plants that can take both wet and dry conditions. The style of this garden is one that can hold water if necessary. The plants’ roots act as a filter for many of the pollutants that the water brings into the rain garden. The water leaches into the soil over time and the process repeats based on rainfall.

Filed Under: Arboretum, Ecological Stewardship, Homepage Blog Feed, Horticulture, Uncategorized, Water Conservation

  • Let There Be Light, George Grey Bernard

Thank you to our Corporate Partners!


Thank you to our Corporate Partners!

  • Delta Dental KY
  • WMB
  • Quest Outdoors
  • Brown Forman
  • Westrock
  • GE Appliances
  • Patagonia
  • Luckett & Farley
  • Beam Suntory

Sign up for our newsletter

  • Sign up and receive special information about our programs and events.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FOLLOW US

Copyright © 2019 Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest    |   Bernheim is an Arbnet level 4 certified garden
Privacy Policy | Policies and Guidelines | Research | Press Room  | Site Map