We’re delighted to share that our Athens Civil Engineering team has been honored with the 2022 Stormwater Steward Award for their innovative site design of the Woodfield Apartments at Oak Grove in Athens, Georgia.
Presented annually to an organization, business, or community group that has gone above and beyond to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff on local waters, the Stormwater Steward Award is a great accomplishment for our talented team who shares the values of the Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Management Program in prioritizing long-term sustainability efforts throughout every step of our project approach.
While the award is typically presented post-construction, the level of detail, technical skill, and attention to environmental stewardship in our team’s drawings and design approach allowed our work on this project to shine so early in its lifecycle.
“Credit is due to the entire Civil Engineering team here in Athens. For our team, projects like these are really what building better communities is all about!” said Project Manager and Civil Engineering Department Head Buck Bacon.
Here are a few things our team prioritized in the design of this award-winning project:
- Better site design principles, such as bio-retention and porous brick paver systems, were integrated into the approved Planned Development’s parking areas, tree islands, and site to create aesthetic and effective runoff reduction best management practices.
- In total, fourteen separate bio-retention areas with siphons and 21,874 square feet of porous pavers were utilized to provide infiltration and ground water recharge of 6.6 acres of impervious parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs.
- The developer and engineers partnered with the adjacent commercial development to design and construct a shared stormwater management pond, reducing the necessary foot print to manage runoff from both sites.
- The developers also preserved on-site local and state riparian buffers and retained an existing nature trail that was being utilized by the adjacent single-family subdivision.
We’d like to thank both the Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Management Program and our clients at Woodfield Acquisitions for the support, trust, and collaboration that make projects like this come to life!