As students, faculty, and community members, we call on Old Dominion University leadership and Facilities Management to expand nature-based rainwater solutions across our entire campus. Anyone who walks across campus after a storm knows the challenge: heavy rainfall routinely leaves walkways flooded, parking lots submerged, and rainwater rushing over hard pavement into overburdened storm drains. While ODU sits in a coastal area vulnerable to frequent storms, too much of our campus remains covered in impervious asphalt and concrete that cannot absorb stormwater.

ODU has already proven that green infrastructure works effectively on campus soil by utilizing solutions like rain gardens, large rainwater harvesting cisterns, above-ground water catchments, and rock-and-plant filtration gardens. However, these types of green infrastructure remain limited to a small fraction of the overall university grounds. Most student walkways, residential quads, and parking plazas still rely entirely on traditional drainage systems that become overwhelmed during major storms.

We urge university administration to scale up these proven green infrastructure methods into a university-wide commitment. By incorporating more rain gardens, expanding rainwater harvesting systems, adopting permeable paving during sidewalk and parking upgrades, and integrating absorbent green spaces around student housing, ODU can eliminate campus flood hotspots, protect local water quality, and turn the entire campus into a model of coastal resilience.

Flyer: https://canva.link/h0q9lbjh0x5onpj

This is part of an ODU Honors Public Speaking group project.