Low impact development, or LID, is a stormwater approach that manages rainfall close to where it falls. It uses distributed practices that promote infiltration, filtration, evapotranspiration, reuse or temporary detention to reduce the effects of urban runoff.
Common LID practices
Ontario projects may use bioretention areas, rain gardens, enhanced swales, permeable pavement, green roofs, infiltration trenches or chambers, stormwater tree trenches and rainwater harvesting. These practices can form part of a treatment train with conventional sewers, storage and quality-control measures.
LID is not a standard detail that can be placed anywhere. Soil permeability, groundwater, bedrock, contaminated land, winter operation, foundation separation, utilities, loading and long-term maintenance all affect suitability. Municipal acceptance and project-specific design criteria also matter.
Coordination with parks and landscape
Parks can offer useful space for visible green infrastructure, but that space still has a primary public function. A bioretention area cannot compromise an accessible route, field drainage or safe use. Planting, salt exposure, maintenance access, overflow paths and sediment loading should be coordinated between civil, landscape and operations teams.
An LID feature may reduce or complement storage, but performance must be supported by appropriate calculations and site information. Bous Engineering evaluates LID within the overall stormwater management strategy rather than treating it as a decorative add-on.
For related decisions, review when on-site stormwater storage is required and why landscape and civil designs can conflict.
Key takeaway
LID manages runoff near its source, but successful design depends on local soils, groundwater, municipal criteria, operations and a reliable overflow route. It should be selected through site assessment and interdisciplinary coordination.
Bous Engineering supports servicing, stormwater, grading and municipal approval assignments across Eastern Ontario.