Low Impact Design Recommendations for Whangaparaoa Gold Course Stormwater Management

The winning entry in the 2013 Auckland Council Low Impact Design (LID) Competition makes recommendations for stormwater management on and around the Whangaparaoa Golf Course (WGC). Currently, runoff from the surrounding residential area drains through drainage ditches across the course to ponds and wetlands. Perimeter ditches on the WGC were converted to engineered swales and a bioswale to safely convey a 100-yr 24-hr storm event. Three ponds were re-designed to capture the water quality volume, including a floating treatment wetland in one pond to control organic and other pollutants. Future development of “green streets” around WGC environs were designed to completely retain a 10mm rainfall event, treat the water quality volume and provide some peak flow mitigation. Housing lots were re-developed following Unitary Plan intensification guidelines. The proposed Whangaparaoa “green street” development included a range of LID stormwater devices, self-explaining road design, and a shared community green space. The proposed developments were intended to increase public awareness of LID in an environment which provides public amenity, enhanced biodiversity and stormwater management.