--- title: "Green roof stormwater retention: roof surface, slope, media. | Sutter Health" description: "In two studies, vegetated green roof systems reduced the amount of stormwater runoff and extended its duration beyond the actual rain event." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/green-roof-stormwater-retention-1055312932" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Green roof stormwater retention: roof surface, slope, media. # Green roof storm water retention: effects of roof surface, slope, and media depth. VanWoert ND, Rowe DB, Andresen JA, Rugh CL, Fernandez RT, & Xiao L. _J Environ Qual. 34(3):1036-44. Print 2005 May-Jun._ 2005-05-11 ## Abstract Urban areas generate considerably more storm water runoff than natural areas of the same size due to a greater percentage of impervious surfaces that impede water infiltration. Roof surfaces account for a large portion of this impervious cover. Establishing vegetation on rooftops, known as green roofs, is one method of recovering lost green space that can aid in mitigating storm water runoff. Two studies were performed using several roof platforms to quantify the effects of various treatments on storm water retention. The first study used three different roof surface treatments to quantify differences in storm water retention of a standard commercial roof with gravel ballast, an extensive green roof system without vegetation, and a typical extensive green roof with vegetation. Overall, mean percent rainfall retention ranged from 48.7% (gravel) to 82.8% (vegetated). The second study tested the influence of roof slope (2 and 6.5%) and green roof media depth (2.5, 4.0, and 6.0 cm) on storm water retention. For all combined rain events, platforms at 2% slope with a 4-cm media depth had the greatest mean retention, 87%, although the difference from the other treatments was minimal. The combination of reduced slope and deeper media clearly reduced the total quantity of runoff. For both studies, vegetated green roof systems not only reduced the amount of storm water runoff, they also extended its duration over a period of time beyond the actual rain event. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=VanWoert++ND%2C+Rowe+DB%2C+Rugh+CL%2C+Xiao+L.) ## Research topics - [Environmental Exposure](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Environmental+Exposure%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Re: "Operating room sound level hazards for patients and physicians."](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/operating-room-sound-level-hazards-pts-mds-1055312943) Hetzler D. Otol Neurotol. 32(2):345; author reply 345. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0b013e3182040c67. Otol Neurotol. 2011 Feb;32(2):345; author reply 345. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0b013e3182040c67. 2011 Feb 01 - Publication ### [Watering regime and green roof substrate design affect Sedum plant growth.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/water-regime-green-roof-substrate-on-sedum-growth-1055312957) VanWoert ND, Rowe DB, Rugh CL, Xiao L. HortSci. 40(3):659-664. 2005 Jun 01 - Publication ### [Diverse transcriptional programs associated with environmental stress and hormones in the Arabidopsis receptor-like kinase gene family.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/transcription-programs-arabidopsis-receptor-like-genes-1055312696) Chae L, Sudat S, Dudoit S, Zhu T, Luan S. Mol Plant. 2(1):84-107. doi: 10.1093/mp/ssn083. 2009 Jan 01 - Publication ### [Pneumonic plague.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pneumonic-plague-1055312865) Krishna G, Chitkara RK. 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Epub 2013 Aug 8. 2013 Oct 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/green-roof-stormwater-retention-1055312932#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Green roof stormwater retention: roof surface, slope, media."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/green-roof-stormwater-retention-1055312932#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Green roof storm water retention: effects of roof surface, slope, and media depth.","headline":"Green roof stormwater retention: roof surface, slope, media.","abstract":"Urban areas generate considerably more storm water runoff than natural areas of the same size due to a greater percentage of impervious surfaces that impede water infiltration. Roof surfaces account for a large portion of this impervious cover. Establishing vegetation on rooftops, known as green roofs, is one method of recovering lost green space that can aid in mitigating storm water runoff. Two studies were performed using several roof platforms to quantify the effects of various treatments on storm water retention. The first study used three different roof surface treatments to quantify differences in storm water retention of a standard commercial roof with gravel ballast, an extensive green roof system without vegetation, and a typical extensive green roof with vegetation. Overall, mean percent rainfall retention ranged from 48.7% (gravel) to 82.8% (vegetated). The second study tested the influence of roof slope (2 and 6.5%) and green roof media depth (2.5, 4.0, and 6.0 cm) on storm water retention. For all combined rain events, platforms at 2% slope with a 4-cm media depth had the greatest mean retention, 87%, although the difference from the other treatments was minimal. The combination of reduced slope and deeper media clearly reduced the total quantity of runoff. 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