City of El Paso Green Infrastructure

About City of El Paso Green Infrastructure

The City of El Paso, TX commissioned a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) masterplan for 1000 acres of city-owned greenfield. Citizens were very concerned about rainwater sustainability and treatment of the arroyos. CGI analyzed the watersheds, explored alternative ways of mitigating development on alluvial fans, and designed a graduated approach to arroyo improvements that varied depending on intensity of development. As well, rainwater harvesting green streets were designed and analyzed to a conclusion that green streets would supplant typical detention ponds and perform better at a significantly lower cost than conventional pave-pipe-and-dump systems.

Challenges

The citizens are concerned that the masterplan will create concrete-lined arroyos and degrade the character of the natural arroyos.

Solutions

Develop Constraints and Opportunities, adjust the Masterplan to avoid the 100-year floodways, develop a transect-based approach to arroyo modifications, develop green streets that apply a Light Imprint approach that saves money.

Project Images