Kansas City’s First Green Infrastructure Project: MegaKC’s History of Building Smarter Stormwater Solutions

In 2012, MegaKC, formerly known as Mega Industries, completed construction of the Middle Blue River Basin Green Solutions Pilot Project for Kansas City Water Services. This was the first project in Kansas City’s Overflow Control Program now known as the Smart Sewer Program.

 

What Is Green Infrastructure and Why Does Kansas City Use It?

Rather than relying exclusively on traditional underground infrastructure to manage stormwater, green infrastructure captures, absorbs, stores, and filters rainfall closer to where it falls. These projects reduce the amount of stormwater entering the sewer system, improving water quality, lowering the amount of runoff, and creating opportunities for improvements to nearby parks, sidewalks, and landscaping.

 

Where It Started: Middle Blue River Basin Green Solutions Pilot Project

Located in the Marlborough neighborhood in South Kansas City, the scope of work included rain gardens, bioretention, porous pavement sidewalk, and permeable paver sidewalks. These improvements reduced the risk of sewer overflow during smaller, more frequent rain events.

Spanning more approximately 100 acres, the project became one of the country’s largest green infrastructure retrofits at the time. The City of Kansas City found that the project reduced the volume of water flowing into the sewers by 30% in the study area.

 

Continuing Green Infrastructure In Kansas City

The Middle Blue River Basin was a stepping stone for improving storm water infrastructure in Kansas City. The city used the project to determine whether the improvements could be applied elsewhere in the metro.

MegaKC has continued to work with Kansas City on Several Green Infrastructure projects. Earlier this year, our employee-owners completed Project 1-2: Paseo Gateway/Kansas City University, which featured two extended wet detention basins to redirect stormwater from the roadway. Mill Creek Park is currently under construction, which consists of installing  several detention basins, as well as groundwater storage and ground infiltration.

More than a decade later, green infrastructure has become an established part of Kansas City’s Smart Sewer program, and MegaKC continues to help advance the way our city manages stormwater. Our employee-owners are building infrastructure designed to protect our water systems while supporting the neighborhoods and public spaces around them.