EPA: Regency Centers Awarded 2015 Rain Catcher Award for Stormwater Runoff Management

Regency Centers in Raleigh, NC Awarded 2015 EPA Region 4 Rain Catcher Award

ATLANTA – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized Regency Centers with the regional 2015 EPA Rain Catcher Award in the Commercial Category for the Market at Colonnade project in Raleigh, N.C. The award was given at a ceremony during the EPA Region 4/International Erosion Control Association Municipal Wet Weather Stormwater Conference, in Atlanta, Ga.

The vision for the Market at Colonnade project was to demonstrate that low-impact development and sustainability are achievable even on intensely developed in-fill commercial properties with clay soils. The project combines the use of above and below ground cisterns, subsurface infiltration, bioretention, and surface irrigation to harvest, reuse, and treat the development’s stormwater. The combined best management practices allow the development to capture nearly 100 percent of the total nitrogen and total suspended solids from the first one inch of rainfall and substantially reduces peak stormwater discharges.

The EPA Region 4 Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the implementation of stormwater green infrastructure practices. Green infrastructure uses natural systems and/or engineered systems designed to mimic natural processes to more effectively manage urban stormwater and reduce receiving water impacts. EPA and its partner organizations have promoted the use of green infrastructure for many years as part of a comprehensive approach to achieving healthier waters. Green infrastructure reduces the volume of stormwater discharges by managing rainwater close to where it falls and removes many of the pollutants present in runoff, making it an effective strategy for addressing wet weather pollution and improving water quality.