Restoring Clara Vista Swales

Phase I of the work on the swale rehabilitation has been completed, and the following pics offer some views of the completed installation. For this grant-funded project, GreenWorks offers 50% of their time as a pro-bono service, working closely with Hacienda Community Development and our fabulous non-profit partner Verde to restore these stormwater facilities to their former lush and functional self.

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The project, funded in part from Metro's Nature-in-Neighborhoods program, included educational aspects, where residents of all ages living in Hacienda properties were included in design decisions such as plantings, materials, and types of spaces that would be included. The result is truly community driven.

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One issue with the original design was that there was an uninterrupted linear swale with meant that any diversion from the pathway would damage the hydrology of the site. In addition to the installation of new swale cells, the intermediate places in between were piped subsurface to allow for greater play and amenity area for residents. These are seen below, newly backfilled, and Phase II will import additional soil and re-seed these worn out areas with an ecolawn mix, as soon as the weather cools down.

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Check out these pics of the before condition, where the majority of vegetation had been trampled, flow-dissipating rocks had been strewn above, and the water was ponding due to compaction of the soils. Quite a change.

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