Five Corners Stormwater Assessment & Tree Planting Project will conduct a comprehensive stormwater runoff study and feasibility analysis of tree plantings in the Five Corners area in The City of Groton. The team aims to locate areas with insufficient drainage capacity by developing a Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). This model will help identify locations for green stormwater infrastructure designs and gray stormwater infrastructure improvements. Completing this study will allow The City of Groton to pursue subsequent recommendations (4.1.2 – 4.1.6) identified in the 2022 Community Resilience Plan.

Project Goals:

• Map causes of stormwater flooding in Five Corners
• Develop USEPA Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) for the project area to inform future decision making
• Identify ways to reduce stormwater flooding in Five Corners
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Hybrid/grey solutions
• Center community needs in project planning and design
• Provide a framework for advancing the project through future phases
  • Funding/financing
  • Identifying future projects

What we're asking of you:

• Share your experience with flooding in the Five Corners area
  • Engage with the project team on this webpage
  • Attend the Open House and upcoming workshops
• Help us identify and design nature- based and hybrid/gray solutions
• Review deliverables and provide comments
• Serve on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (we'll be meeting virtually two more times over the course of the project)
• If, you're a property owner, consider meeting with our team to discuss planting a tree or exploring flood mitigation solutions.
• Volunteer! Help us plant trees in Groton City

Upcoming Events

Thursday, September 11, 6:00-8:00pm: Design Charrette #3

Join us at the park on the corner of Smith & Allen Street for our third design charrette! We will:

• Explore green and gray infrastructure alternatives to mitigate flooding and provide shaded walkways;
• Visualize solutions that can be implemented in the Five Corners neighborhood
• Share what you would like to see
• Enjoy light refreshments!

There will be games, pizza, and a plant giveaway! Please click here to register!

What is Green Stormwater Infrastructure?

Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) uses nature-based solutions to manage stormwater runoff. Rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavement, and tree filters are all forms of GSI that help reduce the amount of runoff that make it to the road and sidewalk, improve water quality, and mitigate extreme heat. We are looking at adding some of these GSI alternatives to the Five Corners area.

Rain Gardens are planted in shallow depressions or bowl-shaped areas to help store, infiltrate, and filter water during rain events.

Bioswales are vegetated, depressed channels, that slow and clean clean water. Similar to rain gardens, they collect polluted stormwater runoff and filter and infiltrate water during rain events.

Permeable pavement is a type of pavement that allows water to pass through and infiltrate to the layers of soil and gravel beneath it. Permeable pavement can also help lower temperatures because it absorbs less heat than traditional pavement.

Tree filters collect, temporarily store, and filter stormwater runoff through the soil (CT Stormwater Quality Manual, UCONN).

Corner bump outs are planting areas at intersections that intercept stormwater runoff and direct it to a capture area where pollutants are filtered through plantings and where water can be temporarily stored.

Planting While Planning

As part of the Stormwater Assessment, The Nature Conservancy will deliver and plant a free tree to residents of the Five Corners area that have requested a tree. Groton is a priority city in Connecticut's Urban Forest Network and The Nature Conservancy will partner with residents to plant more trees. Residents will be responsible for the care of the tree.

Trees help our communities in so many ways! They:

• Improve air quality - leaves filter pollutants and replenish oxygen to improve the air for people and wildlife
• Cool neighborhoods - trees lower temperatures by providing shade and through evapotranspiration
• Improve health - exposure to trees reduce stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, and improves mood
• Enhance neighborhood beauty - "green" city blocks are beautiful and inviting for strong communities
• Reduce flooding - trees lessen the force of storms and reduce the amount of runoff into sewers, streams, and rivers
• Improve water quality - leaves and roots filter rainfall and runoff to reduce pollution and flood risk

and so much more!

This spring we planted 20 trees around the Five Corners area - thank you to everyone who signed up to receive a free tree! We are looking forward to planting more trees this fall. We will have two planting days on Saturday, September 27, and Saturday, October 11. If you would like to help us plant trees this fall, please click here to sign up and receive more information!

Learn more about the project in the Long Island Sound Clean Watershed Network's "Tackling Climate Pollution in Long Island Sound" episode!