Project artist - Mark Brest van Kempen
We have come up with a temporary project that touches on some of the drainage and clean water issues that might be addressed in permanent design elements (such as rain gardens) in the final design of the waterfront.
Because we can't do any excavation or major alterations of the site for a temporary project, we have opted to created a scaled down working model showing what bio-filtration does. This will show some benefits of both a constructed element such as rain garden and also what the nearby wetlands are doing every day.
The attached illustration shows the basic idea (I'm sure there will be changes and adjustments as we progress). A holding container is periodically filled with water from a variety of sources around Benicia (creeks, run-off, etc). We are planning a number of "fillings" from individual sources (week 1: water from a local creek, week 2: water from run off source, etc). The gathering of the water and the transfer of the water into the piece can be a series of community events.
This water then slowly trickles through a labyrinthine planting of wetland plants and is then collected in a covered container. The water may be recirculated through the wetland several times using a solar pump. We are hoping to get some interest to test the water before and after treatment.
The project will not only educate the public about the role of plants in water filtration, it will also draw attention to the state of some water sources that flow into the Carquinez Strait.
The scale of the piece will be approximately 20' wide wetland (the configuration may change, i.e. a more oblong design may be more appropriate to the site than the circular design shown). Vertical holding container will be approx. 12' high (out of easy reach).
Project location: Benicia California, downtown waterfront.
The following is a list of possible concerns that we will address in the design:
-No standing open water for mosquitos to breed or drowning hazard.
-Piece will have a barrier surrounding it not shown in image.
-Piece will be designed to be easily mowed around.
-Any damage or death to sod will be replaced by us after the piece comes down.
-Structure will be built of 2x4 and plywood construction that will support people if someone climbed onto it.
-Plantings will be tacked in place with netting to minimize disruption by animals or people.
-Accompanying signage will discuss the role of plants in biofiltration and the possibilities of rain garden and bio swales in helping to solve some of the flooding problems on site.
-Plans will be reviewed by my structural engineer.
