Decades of Low-Impact Solutions

Low-impact development (LID) is the mainstream approach to site and infrastructure design in the Pacific Northwest, and Otak is proud to have been a part of this movement from the outset. We bring decades of experience designing LID solutions in a wide variety of settings and contexts.

The best LID solutions manage surface water close to the source, allowing runoff to soak into the ground as close as possible to its natural pathway and cleaning it through natural processes as part of the solution. Whether through conservation of forested areas and native vegetation, integration of stormwater planters and rain gardens, use of permeable pavements, installation of green roofs, or other green infrastructure, our interdisciplinary teams of water resource engineers, scientists, and landscape architects work closely together in an integrated approach to deliver the best solutions for each location. We also prepare design handbooks and checklists to help residents, community volunteers, and organizations learn about how to manage and clean surface water runoff by building their own rain gardens.