Heartland Park Green Infrastructure

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Green Infrastructure

Green Infrastructure uses the landscape (vegetation, soils, and natural processes) as infrastructure to manage water and provide a range of ecosystem services — clean air and water, flood protection and wildlife habitat. This approach to stormwater management mimics nature by soaking up and storing water. Green infrastructure is effective, economical, and enhances community safety and quality of life. It means planting trees and restoring wetlands, rather than constructing more pipes and expensive treatment systems.

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Innovative Practices to Improve Water Quality

 
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At Heartland Park, green elements such as rain gardens, wetlands, native meadows, riparian areas, pervious pavers, parking lot bioswales, and the wetland forebays help clean stormwater runoff before it gets to the seven-acre lake, which serves as flood control for 472 acres of drainage area. An interpretive trail and boardwalks at the wetland and lake help educate the public on the benefits of green infrastructure.  

Try this Scavenger Hunt to find green features at the park.

Watch this video!

319 Heartland Park GI Video for website link


Pervious pavers and pavement captures stormwater and allows it to seep into the ground and recharge groundwater aquifers.  Bioswales located in the parking lots also slow down and filter runoff.  The wetland forebay helps keep the lake clean by collecting trash, soil, and debris before water reaches the lake. 

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What Is a Biofilter?

Biofiltration is a pollution control technique that uses plants, such as native Missouri wildflowers and grasses, to filter out pollutants from runoff water before it gets to the seven-acre lake.  This also slows the water as it moves to the lake to help flood control.  Biofilters are also known as rain gardens. There are approximately 2,500 trees, shrubs, and flowers planted at Heartland Park in biofilters, native meadows and for lake habitat to help filter and clean stormwater runoff.  

Learn more about Green Infrastructure around Wentzville.

Green infrastructure at Heartland Park was funded in part by a Section 319 Grant from US EPA Region 7 through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources under the Clean Water Act. 
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