The technology has evolved to reduce stormwater runoff by increased retention into building and landscaping, depressions, and multifunctional design.  Many of the LID concepts are also used by the US Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process.  A number of LID examples include:

• alternative semi-porous surfaces,

• reduction of impervious surface – narrow roads,

• surface roughness technology,

• rain barrels/cisterns,

• catch basins/seepage pits,

• sidewalk storage,

• vegetative swales,

• buffer strips,

• infiltration swales,

• trenches,

• elimination of curb and gutter,

• curb cuts,

• shoulder vegetation,

• maximization of sheet flow,

• maintenance of natural drainage patterns,

• reforestation,

• pollution prevention,

• bio-retention/rain gardens,

• strategic grading,

• conservation,

• flatter wider swales,

• amended soils,

• long flow paths, tree/shrub/flower bed depression,

• turf depression,

• landscape island storage,

• rooftop detention/retention,

• disconnected impervious surface,

• parking lot/street storage,

• smaller culverts, and

• pipes & inlets.