Human environments have long struggled to deal with heavy rainfall events, and the frequency and intensity of such events is increasing in Southeast Michigan.⁴ Stormwater runoff can flood streets and basements and pollute downstream water bodies, often including the water we drink. NBHS assesses roof and yard runoff to design low-cost and high-impact interventions such as downspout diversion and green infrastructure (e.g. bioswales, rain gardens,⁵ permeable paving, tree pits). These interventions reduce stormwater runoff load on sewers and thereby improves downstream water quality while often reducing flood risk (esp. basements). GIS and remote sensing can be used to identify where rainfall is most likely to flow or pool on a property. In most cases these dynamics are not visible to the naked eye. Depending on the client's vision for their landscape, green infrastructure in these locations may take the form of planting shrubs or trees or simply reducing the frequency of mowing. In this latter approach, Nature will automatically grow what is best adapted to that location, and this in turn makes for extremely low-maintenance green infrastructure. Beautiful, wildlife-friendly, carbon-capturing green infrastructure can be maintained long-term through simply mowing and occasional removal of invasive plants. Regardless of the homeowner's preferred approach, the increase in deep-rooted perennial vegetation will slow and reduce stormwater runoff through enhanced infiltration, interception, evaporation, and surface roughness. Trees and shrubs can also be planted to overhang paved surfaces and thereby reduce rainfall reaching the ground while cooling those surfaces during hot weather.