How Stanford Transforms Rain into 120 Million Gallons of Opportunity

Beneath the clear blue skies and vibrant open spaces at Stanford University, an ingenious stormwater capture system awaits to transform nature’s strongest forces into strategic opportunities through forward-thinking planning. Amid California’s changing climate, Stanford’s approach demonstrates how planning at scale and with foresight can convert torrential rains into a reliable resource. For example, during the atmospheric river event in February 2024, which delivered nearly 10 inches of rain to Northern California, Stanford’s innovative design diverted runoff into Felt Lake, bolstering the campus water supply.

At the heart of this approach are meticulously designed collection systems that harvest stormwater and irrigation runoff from key areas, including the Sand Hill Fields that are used for soccer and volleyball as well as the Archery Field. The storm drain system channels the water into basins and pumps convey the runoff to Felt Lake, and another similar facility on the east side of campus, for storage. Over the past year alone, Stanford captured 26 million gallons of stormwater, converting what might have been wasted rainfall into a strategic asset. “The collected stormwater supplements Stanford’s non-potable water supplies and increases the resilience of the water systems,” explains Erica Mokrani, an environmental engineer with the Water Resources & Civil Infrastructure team. Notably, the captured stormwater is part of a system that irrigates 85 to 90% of Stanford’s managed land, demonstrating the expansive scale of its sustainable water management strategy.

What makes this approach truly groundbreaking is its emphasis on long-term resilience, ensuring the system remains valuable well beyond its initial compliance goals. Rather than implementing scattered, small-scale solutions, Stanford has invested in large operational storage areas that serve both current and future needs. Although the primary driver was the regulatory requirement to improve the water quality of the local creeks and San Francisco Bay, a cost-benefit analysis has shown that the water supply benefits are significant, making it economically sensible to capture more water than immediately necessary. In this way, the captured stormwater can act as a supplemental source for irrigation and other campus uses, turning a compliance necessity into an asset.

“Stormwater captured from the main campus reduces the amount of groundwater pumping and creek diversions needed to meet the irrigation demands on Stanford’s non-potable irrigation system,” says Julia Nussbaum, associate director of Water Planning & Stewardship. 

Stanford’s stormwater capture system is a compelling example of how systems thinking can address environmental challenges while yielding tangible and cost-effective long-term benefits. By transforming vast open spaces into functional components of a regional water management network, the university not only meets today’s infrastructure mandates, but also sets a powerful precedent for sustainable systems development. This initiative emphasizes an essential message: with strategic, large-scale planning and long-term vision, we can turn environmental challenges into opportunities that benefit both our communities and future generations.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated in November 2025 to include new information from Stanford’s Water Resources & Infrastructure team.