Storm-water-fall

Downtown Noblesville, Indiana

We often overlook the water that flows around us during rain events because in our cities it is often hidden from view. Yet, when we stop to notice the amount of water flowing through our cities, it is quite astonishing. Managing this stormwater runoff is an important part of protecting our cities and our environment. This sculpture diverts some of the water coming off of one city building so we can see it in action during a rain event. Openings in the gutter catch rainwater and send it cascading downward, where it spills into and through the various bowl shapes like a waterfall. Eventually the water spills into a planter filled with native Indiana perennials. 

The building that this sculpture is attached to has roughly 5400 square feet of roof surface area, which translates to approximately 145,000 gallons of rainwater coming off of this single roof in a typical year. That is enough to fill 10 average-sized swimming pools each year. Surface runoff from roofs and pavements can carry pollutants into our waterways. Catching the water and filtering it through plant material is one way to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff and also capture some of the pollutants before they enter our waterways.