The results of permeable paving systems are environmentally friendly parking lots, roadways, industrial yards, fire lanes, driveways, and other paving applications that absorb and detain water and prevent flooding.Įxample permeable paver applications (from left to right): Patios, RV Pads, Pet areas, parking lots, industrial applications, stables and paddocks, grass driveways, ribbon driveways, and more. Permeable pavers offer solutions to meet those impervious cover code restrictions that are intended to regulate stormwater, reduce flooding risks, and protect natural waterways. To minimize flood risks, most cities and counties limit the amount of impervious surface for new construction and buildings. Runoff can also overwhelm stormwater management systems, which causes flooding and other problems in cities. Eventually, this runoff will flow into and disrupt the natural waterways. Runoff is dangerous for cities, as the water collects contaminants and gets hotter as it rolls through streets. Conventional concrete, asphalt, and gravel-only pavement are the primary generators of stormwater runoff. Permeable pavements aid stormwater management, reduce runoff, and decrease flooding risks. What benefits do permeable pavers provide over traditional paving methods? The rate at which the water drains into the surface depends on the specific type of permeable paving system used. Instead, permeable pavers have a porous surface that naturally mimics and recreates the way the ground reacts to rainwater. Paving systems that use hardscape surfaces (concrete, asphalt, or compacted gravel) will collect stormwater, causing it to pool or run off. The permeable pavers have open cells that are filled with gravel or grass and are designed to let water enter into their surfaces, get detained in the rock base, and absorb into the ground beneath. How do permeable paving systems work? Diagram of how permeable pavers work. Several types of porous paving grids exist, including plastic grid pavers with flexible joints rigid or rolled plastic pavers interlocking concrete grids and permeable concrete and asphalt pavement.

These paving systems are just as strong and durable as traditional paving materials such as concrete, asphalt, or compacted gravel. Permeable paving systems are porous, so they allow water to infiltrate the pavement and drain into the ground or sub-base rock underneath. The Complete Guide to Permeable Paving Systems Permeable paver parking lot at UC Santa Cruz in California. Filed under Detention Pond, General, permeable pavers, permeable-pavement, Stormwater Management

Porus pavers