NOAA Headquarters at Quonset’s Pier One

LID Type: Rain Garden

Use: Institutional

Installer: A. Autiello Construction

Designer/Developer: Saccoccio & Associates (Architect), DiPrete Engineering Associates (Civil Engineer), and John C. Carter & Company (Landscape Architect)

Install Date: 2009-2010

Address: Davisville Road & Keel Street

Town: North Kingstown

Zip Code: 02852

County: Washington

Contact:

Brian Giroux, PE

Senior Project Engineer, DiPrete Engineering

401.943.1000 x256

bgiroux@diprete-eng.com

The new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facility at Quonset’s Pier One features three rain gardens, which were designed primarily to manage and treat stormwater runoff on site. The 8,333 square foot office and warehouse provides research space for the 24 person crew and 19 scientists aboard the Okeanos Explorer, NOAA’s 250 foot research vessel that began docking at Pier One in July 2010. Prior to construction, the 1.33 acre site was a completely impervious asphalt parking area, with no infrastructure for treating stormwater runoff. Stormwater was captured in a series of existing catch basins and discharged untreated into Narragansett Bay.

Post development conditions include approximately 0.885 acres of impervious area from construction of the new building and associated parking. The new rain gardens now manage 100 percent of runoff from the site, as well as a portion of Davisville Road. Stormwater is treated in the vegetated gardens and allowed to infiltrate into the existing soils (Quonset gravelly sandy loam) consisting of a loamy sand material indicated by borings prior to design and construction. Overflow control structures in each garden connect to the existing drainage system in the event of large storm occurrences. Since there was no treatment or detention of stormwater prior to construction, there is a significant decrease in runoff rate and volume from predevelopment to post development conditions.

Address: Davisville Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852