Reimagining Spring Lake Park through LID

摘要

Spring Lake Park is located in South Omaha on the bluffs of the Missouri River. It consists of native upland forest on loess soils surrounding a valley rich with several seeps, wetlands, and waterways with a contributing drainage area of 79 hectares. An antiquated and leaky combined sewer line flows through the center of the park, short-circuiting natural drainage patterns and lowering ground water levels. The forested park, named for a spring-fed lake which has since silted in, has been somewhat neglected and underutilized in past years. As part of sewer separation and park retrofit efforts, seepage water and surface runoff will be retained, filtered and infiltrated through several LID practices located throughout the park. The design aims to reengage the community with the park by utilizing constructed LID practices as multi-functional facilities and reintroducing a 0.8-hectare fishing lake. The restoration of the naturally dynamic drainage system infused energy into the design process and allowed robust design objectives to be achieved. Three design themes emerged: ecological sensitivity, integration, and innovation. The park design sought ecological sensitivity through preserving seep and wetland areas, significantly reducing sediment loads near the source, and including an aggressive planting plan with all native plants. The design integrated passive recreation, education, aesthetics as well as including community input as part of the design process. Finally, the design utilized several innovative practices including several diversion structures, off-line systems, and a zero-discharge basin. The presentation will further describe several design elements that support the three aforementioned design themes.