Green Infrastructure

Learn more about Green Infrastructure in the City of Minneapolis and see examples

Green Infrastructure (GI) is a range of vegetative and pervious practices that promote development that mimics the natural, pre-development conditions of the area.   

Sustainable Landscaping (SL): Set of practices that work with natural environment to sustain local habitat, conserve energy and water, and improve air and water quality and user experience. Examples include trees, grasses, impervious conversations, and native plantings.

 Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI): Set of GI practices that also provide stormwater management by infiltration, filtration, and detention. Examples include:  

  • Bioretention, basins and bioswales

Depressed, vegetated areas that capture, infiltrate or filter, and treat stormwater runoff 

  • Tree trenches 

 A bioretention facility that includes a tree planted within engineered soil that is designed to remove additional stormwater and pollutants and help address the urban heat island effect 

  • Permeable pavements 

Hard surfaces that allow water to flow through the surface and into a subbase of open graded rock. 

  • Green roofs 

Vegetated roofs that absorb rainwater, provide habitat, and improve water and air quality 

  • Rain Barrels, cisterns and stormwater reuse 

Various methods to capture, store, and re-use stormwater 

   

Bioretention, basins, and bioswales
Bioretention, basins, and bioswales
Tree trenches
Tree trenches
Permeable pavements
Permeable pavements
Green roofs
Green roofs
Rain barrels, cisterns, and stormwater reuse
Rain barrels, cisterns, and stormwater reuse

Projects in the ground

The following projects include Green Infrastructure items:

Project

Overview

Girard Ave S

Curbless street project with three bioretention basins that collect and clean stormwater runoff that flows directly into the facilities from the road and pedestrian space.

Hoyer Heights tree trenches 

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Link

Residential reconstruction project that incorporated tree trenches throughout several blocks to store and clean stormwater, alleviating local flooding and improving water quality.

Edison/Monroe bioretention bump-outs

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Link

City of Minneapolis link

 Two bioretention bump-outs and several areas of sustainable landscaping in front of Edison High School. The bump-outs capture stormwater from the road and sidewalk and allow it to infiltrate into the ground. Edison High School has an extensive Green Campus Design to explore in the link.

8th Street Planters

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

Bioretention planters that infiltrate stormwater runoff from 8th Street and add trees and native plantings to a highly urbanized downtown area. 

Southwest Windom bioswales

 Residential reconstruction projects that added bioswales to help mitigate drainage issues and capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff. 

29th and Bloomington Ave bump-outs

Depressed, native plantings in the bump-outs that add vegetation and stormwater management to a pedestrian safety project. 
Green Infrastructure on Girard Ave
Green Infrastructure on Girard Ave
Green Infrastructure on Hoyer Heights

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Contact us

Allison Bell

Green Infrastructure Coordinator

Public Works

Phone

612.427.8313

Katie Kowalczyk, PE

Water Resources Coordinator

Public Works

Phone

612.403.3281

Surface Water & Sewers

Public Works

Phone

612-673-5625

Address

Public Service Center
250 South 4th St, Room 300
Minneapolis, MN 55415

(Our office is closed to the public at this time)

Office hours

Monday – Friday
7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.