The world is urbanizing at an unprecedented rate, and cities are dominantly and increasingly becoming hubs for agglomerations of human population and economic activities, as well as major sources of environmental problems. Accordingly, humanity′s pursuit of global sustainability is becoming increasingly reliant on urban sustainability. Unfortunately, the traditional approaches of urbanization and urban stormwater management are inappropriate from the sustainability standpoint. By removing vegetation and topsoil and creating impervious structures, urbanization destroys natural biodiversity and hydrological processes. As a result, urban societies are disconnected from nature and deprived of ecosystem services including flood control, fresh air, clean water, and natural beauty. Due to disrupted hydrology, an urban landscape transforms most rainwater into stormwater runoff which is conveyed off the site through a system of curb-gutter-pipe, called gray infrastructure. While gray infrastructure efficiently mitigates the problem of flash floods in urban areas, it results in multiple other adverse environmental consequences such as loss of freshwater from urban landscapes, transfer of pollutants to receiving waters, and an increased potential of downstream flooding. Green infrastructure (GI) is regarded as a sound alternative that manages stormwater by revitalizing the natural processes of soil, water, and vegetation, and restoring ecosystem structures and functions. Thus, the approach re–establishes the lost socio–ecological connectivity and regenerates ecosystem services. However, despite being inevitably important for urban sustainability, and despite being the object of unrelenting expert advocacy for more than two decades, the approach is yet to become a mainstream practice. To widely implement GI, cities need to address two critical challenges. First, urban stormwater managers and decision makers should be ensured that the approach can adequately and reliably manage stormwater. In the time when flooding problems are rising due to climate change, this concern has become more prominent. Second, if there exist any other barriers, they should be replaced with strategies that help expedite the use of GI. This multidisciplinary research dealt with these two challenges. The study consisted of two major parts. In the first part, a computer model was developed for a combined sewer system of St. Louis, a city in the US state of Missouri, using U.S. EPA SWMM. Simulations for historical (1971-2000) and future (2041-2070) 50-yr 3-hr rainfall scenarios were then run on the model with and without GI. The simulation results showed a significant impact of increased precipitation on the system, which was considerably reduced after adding select GI measures to the modeled system. The following 4 types of GI were used: bio–retention cell, permeable pavement, green roof, and rain barrel. In the second part, a survey of relevant policies and governance mechanisms of eleven U.S. cities was conducted to identify potential barriers to GI and determine strategies to address them. The study also included the assessment of relevant city, state, and federal policies and governance structures. A total of 29 barriers were identified, which were grouped into 5 categories. Most of the identified barriers stem from cognitive barriers and socio–institutional arrangements. A total of 33 policies, also grouped into 5 groups, were determined to address the barriers. The investigation on governance revealed that current governance is highly technocratic and centralized, and hence has less opportunity for public involvement. Therefore, it is inherently inappropriate for GI, which requires extensive public involvement. This dissertation proposes a two–tier governance model suitable for implementing GI.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-05-07T14:06:12Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Luciana Inácio Pauletti - 2012.pdf: 2287630 bytes, checksum: 392dd39420f8918a2239eaf29eea5ee0 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-05-07T14:08:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Luciana Inácio Pauletti - 2012.pdf: 2287630 bytes, checksum: 392dd39420f8918a2239eaf29eea5ee0 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-07T14:08:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Luciana Inácio Pauletti - 2012.pdf: 2287630 bytes, checksum: 392dd39420f8918a2239eaf29eea5ee0 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-21 / The stormwater runoff in urban areas is an important source of non-point pollutants. This study aimed to quantify the build-up and wash-off of pollutants, particularly metals, water runoff from a paved surface urban Goiânia. Studies to estimate the processes of build-up and wash-off are still incipient in Brazil. We evaluated twelve plots paved with size of 3m2, located in a public parking lot, where they were analyzed on build-up and wash-off in June and July 2012. To wash-off was used a rainfall simulator in three intensities, 69 mm/h, 109 mm/h and 180 mm/h. Quantitation of accumulation in sampled surfaces determined load per m2 to obtain the coefficient build-up as well as for the analysis of the influence of background dried days before sampling campaigns. The build-up was adjusted at four possible equations for use in models water quality: (1) Linear, (2) Power (3) Exponential, and (4) Michaelis-Menton by obtaining the best fit. The water quality parameters analyzed were used for calculation of Average Concentration Event (CME), building polutogramas, coefficient of wash-off and correlation analyzes. The accumulation rate obtained was, on average, 8.53 g/m2dia, and more days dry, the greater the accumulation of pollutants. Levels of metals were found in all analyzed plots for all simulated events in different periods. There sharp and direct correlation between variables, particularly suspended solids and metals. The intensity of rain on the wash-off was clear, since the simulated rain intensity shifted with greater dirtier. Parameters were obtained for modeling the quality of rainwater. / O presente trabalho teve como objetivo quantificar o acúmulo (build-up) e carreamento (wash-off) de poluentes, principalmente metais, na água do escoamento de uma superfície pavimentada urbana de Goiânia. Os estudos para estimativa dos processos de build-up e wash-off são ainda insipientes no Brasil. Foram avaliadas doze parcelas experimentais asfaltadas, com dimensão de 3m2, situadas em um estacionamento público, onde foram realizadas as determinações de build-up e wash-off nos meses de junho e julho de 2012. Para wash-off foi utilizado um simulador de chuvas em três intensidades, 69 mm/h, 109 mm/h e 180 mm/h. A quantificação do acúmulo nas superfícies amostradas determinou a carga por m2 para obtenção do coeficiente de build-up, bem como para a análise da influência dos dias secos antecedentes antes das campanhas amostrais. O build-up foi ajustado nas quatro equações: (1)Linear, (2)Potencial, (3)Exponencial, e (4)Michaelis-Menton, com a qual se obteve o melhor ajuste. As análises de qualidade de água de escoamento permitiram o cálculo da Concentração Média do Evento (CME), construção de polutogramas, determinação do coeficiente de wash-off e análises de correlação. A taxa de acúmulo obtida foi, em média, de 8,53g/m2dia, sendo que quanto mais dias secos antecedentes à coleta, maior o acúmulo de poluentes. Foram encontrados metais (cromo, cádmio, cobre, chumbo, níquel, zinco, manganês e ferro) em todas as parcelas experimentais para todos os eventos simulados nos diferentes períodos. Verificou-se correlação direta e acentuada entre as variáveis avaliadas, principalmente entre sólidos suspensos e metais. O efeito da intensidade de chuva sobre o wash-off ficou evidente, visto que as chuvas simuladas com maior intensidade deslocaram mais poluentes. Neste estudo foram obtidos parâmetros para a modelagem da qualidade das águas pluviais.

Urban runoff is generated by precipitation of rain and snowmelt on impervious surfaces.  The increasing demand of urbanization causes contaminants to accumulate on roads,  roofs and pathways. In turn, as runoff wash off these surfaces, contaminants such as heavy metals, particles and organic pollutants end up in the stormwater. Urban stormwater ponds improve water quality of runoff by facilitating contaminants in form of particles. To preserve the function of a stormwater pond accumulated sediment must periodically be removed.Therefore, upland disposal alternatives should be evaluated. This study examined stormwater sediment and outlet stormwater quality in seven and four ponds respectively in the vicinity of Halmstad. 7 heavy metals and 24 organic contaminants were analysed in both sediments and stormwater. Results showed metal and organic contaminant concentrations in stormwater pond discharge and sediment exceeding concentrations reported in guideline values. From the analysed heavy metals, Zn and Pb was considered the most critical contaminants. Heavier organic compounds were more frequently quantified than lighter ones, where 42 % of the analysed organic contaminants were quantified in at least one sample. Variability between inlets and outlets, between ponds and between sampling occasions was observed. The observed variability suggests that the contamination level is influenced by catchment area characteristics and activities. Significant correlation from Spearman’s rank correlation was found between the individual heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn), which suggest they originate from similar sources

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No description available.

Municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permittees face costly obligations to reduce pollutant loadings needed to achieve waste load allocations (WLAs) and meet total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). Street sweeping is potentially an effective BMP since streets exist throughout urban watersheds, often are directly connected to the storm sewer, and are found to contain an abundance of contaminants. Although pollutant removal from street sweeping has been evaluated for decades, an understanding of the impact on water quality in receiving streams is elusive. Due to numerous variables, the large number of samples necessary to measure impact in receiving streams may never be obtained. In response, modeled pollutant removal efficiencies based on frequency of sweeping have been recommended to the Chesapeake Bay Program, but these results are suspect. Alternatively, the amount of swept material has emerged as a method to quantify reductions. A sampling study was conducted to measure pollutants in swept material. The study identified the fraction of material susceptible to transport in runoff based on timing of sweeping in relation to runoff events. Based on observed pollutant concentration associations with particle size, the study results in estimates of pollutant concentrations for the fraction of material susceptible to downstream transport, dependent on duration since the last rainfall and type of surface swept, whether the area is a streets or a parking lot. Pollutant loadings and required reductions to achieve the Chesapeake Bay WLAs for various land use sample areas are computed for an average year. Modeled removal efficiencies and results from the sampling study were employed to assess impacts from street sweeping. Modeled efficiencies predict significantly lower impact than measurements of pollutants susceptible to runoff in swept material. Modeled loadings are inconsistent with measurements of swept materials and the rigorous sweeping frequency required for modeled removal efficiency credit appears to be unnecessary. / Doctor of Philosophy / Many localities, state agencies and other public entities that own storm sewer systems are increasingly required to reduce pollutants discharged from their systems to surface waters as a result of programs stemming from the Clean Water Act. Traditional stormwater management practices, such as retention ponds, appear limited towards providing the total pollutant reductions necessary due to physical constraints, opportunity and cost. Street sweeping is potentially an effective alternative practice since streets exist throughout urban watersheds, often are directly connected to the storm sewer, are found to contain an abundance of contaminants and can be cost effective. Although pollutant removal from street sweeping has been evaluated for decades, an understanding of the pollutants removed from stormwater is elusive. Past studies suggest the large number of samples necessary to measure impact from sweeping in receiving streams may never be obtained. In response, pollutant removal estimates have been made using computer models, but modeled results are suspect since they cannot be calibrated. Alternatively, a measure of swept material has emerged as a method to quantify pollutant reductions. A sampling study was conducted to measure pollutants in swept material. Results identify the fraction of swept material washed from the swept surface dependent on timing of sweeping in relation to the duration since the last rainfall. Based on observed pollutant concentration associations with particle size, the study results in estimates of concentrations for the fraction of material susceptible to downstream transport, dependent on duration since the last rainfall and type of surface swept, whether the area is a streets or a parking lot. Application of the results are compared to modeled removal efficiencies towards achieving regulatory compliance within various land use sample areas. Modeled efficiencies predict significantly lower impact than measurements of pollutants susceptible to runoff in swept material. Rigorous sweeping frequency required for modeled removal efficiency credit appears to be unnecessary.

abstract: The rate of urbanization has been impacted by global economic growth. A strong economy results in more people moving to already crowded urban centers to take advantage of increased employment opportunities often resulting in sprawling of the urban area. More natural land resources are being exploited to accommodate these anthropogenic activities. Subsequently, numerous natural land resources such as green areas or porous soil, which are less flood-prone and more permeable are being converted into buildings, parking lots, roads and underground utilities that are less permeable to stormwater runoff from rain events. With the diminishing of the natural landscape that can drain stormwater during a rainfall event, urban underground drainage systems are being designed and built to tackle the excess runoff resulting from urbanization. However, the construction of a drainage system is expensive and usually involves massive land excavations and tremendous environmental disturbances. The option for constructing an underground drainage system is even more difficult in dense urban environments due to the complicated underground environments, creating a need for low footprint solutions. This need has led to emerging opportunities for low impact development (LID) methods or green infrastructures, which are viewed as an environmentally friendly alternative for dealing with stormwater runoff. LID mimics the pre-development environment to retain the stormwater runoff through infiltration, retention, detention and evaporation. Despite a significant amount of prior research having been conducted to analyze the performance of runoff volume reduction and peak flow decrement of various green infrastructures, little is known about the economic benefits of using LID practices. This dissertation fills the gap in the knowledge regarding the life-cycle-cost effectiveness of green infrastructure in current urban developments. This study’s two research objectives are: (1) Develop a life cycle cost calculation template to analyze the cost benefits of using LID compared to the traditional drainage system (2) Quantify the cost benefits based on the real-world construction projects A thorough literature review led to the data collection of the hydrological benefits of using LIDs in conjunction with overviewing three real-world construction projects to quantify the cost benefits of LIDs. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2019

[Truncated abstract]This thesis investigates aspects of urban stormwater modeling and uses a small urban catchment (NE38) located in the suburb of Nedlands in Perth, Western Australia to do so. The MUSIC (Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation) model was used to calibrate catchment NE38 using measured stormwater flows and rainfall data from within the catchment. MUSIC is a conceptual model designed to model stormwater flows within urban environments and uses a rainfall-runoff model adapted to generate results at six minute time steps. Various catchment scenarios, including the use of porous asphalt as an alternative road surface, were applied to the calibrated model to identify effective working stormwater disposal systems that differ from the current system. Calibrating catchment NE38 using the MUSIC model was attempted and this involved matching modeled stormwater flows to stormwater flows measured at the catchment drainage point. This was achieved by measuring runoff contributing areas (roads) together with rainfall data measured from within the catchment and altering the seepage constant parameter for all roadside infiltration sumps. ... The MUSIC model generated future scenario outcomes for alternative stormwater disposal systems that displayed similar or improved levels of performance with respect to the current system. The following scenarios listed in increasing order of effectiveness outline future stormwater disposal systems that may be considered in future urban design. 1. 35% porous asphalt application with no sumps in 2036 2. 35% porous asphalt application with no sumps in 2064 3. 68% porous asphalt application with no sumps in 2036 4. 68% porous asphalt application with no sumps in 2064. Future scenarios using the current stormwater disposal system (with roadside infiltration sumps) with porous asphalt were also run. These scenarios reduced stormwater runoff and contaminant loading on the catchment drainage point however the inclusion of a roadside infiltration sump system may not appeal to urban designers due to the costs involved with this scenario. Climate change will affect the design of future stormwater disposal systems and thus, the design of these systems must consider a rainfall reducing future. Based on the findings of this thesis, current stormwater runoff volumes entering catchment drainage points can be reduced together with contaminant loads in urban environments that incorporate porous asphalt with a stormwater disposal design system that is exclusive of roadside infiltration sumps.

Les travaux décrits dans le présent rapport concernent l’étude d’un ouvrage de traitement en ligne des eaux pluviales issues d’un bassin versant fortement urbanisé. L’ouvrage Charles Keller, d’une capacité de 7000 m3, est conçu pour traiter les eaux pluviales issues du bassin versant de Boudonville, situé dans la Communauté Urbaine du Grand Nancy. L’ouvrage est installé à l’exutoire de bassin versant en aval d’autres ouvrages de stockage temporaires. Les eaux traitées par l’ouvrage Charles Keller sont ensuite renvoyées vers la Meurthe et les boues produites sont traitées au niveau de la station d’épuration du Grand Nancy à Maxéville. La stratégie adoptée dans ce travail a permis de d’aborder l’ouvrage sous plusieurs angles : 1) d’abord l’étude de l’ouvrage seul en se focalisant sur l’ensemble de ses composantes unitaires (dessableurs, chambre d’injection des réactifs, réacteurs et décanteurs) ; 2) la partie physico-chimique (non opérationnelle jusqu’à présent) a fait l’objet de plusieurs compagnes d’analyse à travers les essais en Jar test effectués au laboratoire sur des eaux issues du bassin versant de Boudonville dont les caractéristiques couvrent toute la gamme que l’ouvrage Charles Keller peut traiter ; 3) ensuite l’ouvrage a été resitué dans l’ensemble du système de gestion des eaux pluviales (bassin versant - ouvrage Charles Keller - station d’épuration) et son fonctionnement simulé. Plusieurs configurations ont été testées pour reproduire les conditions réelles de fonctionnement de l’ouvrage. Les résultats obtenus ont montré d’abord la complexité de faire fonctionner dans la pratique un tel ouvrage, notamment avec sa partie coagulation/floculation mais a fait également ressortir des défauts de conception. / An online urban storm-water treatment system has been studied in this work. This system is able to treat the runoff from a highly impervious watershed (Boudonville) in Greater Nancy (North-East of France). It has a capacity of 7000 cubic meters. Some storage tanks are existing in the watershed. The treated water is discharged into the Meurthe River, while the sludge is treated in the Greater Nancy wastewater treatment plant in Maxéville.The strategy adopted in this work allowed for the consideration of the treat ment system from several angles:• first of all, the system is analyzed through its elementary components (sand removal unit, reagents injection and reactors for flocculation-coagulation and clarifiers): this has been done by observing the variations in water quality at the different treatment levels with online instrumentation. This has been completed with an offline characterization.• the flocculation-coagulation section, which was not yet operational during our work, was studied in the laboratory by jar tests. The water to be treated was sampled from the Boudonville watershed to be close to the conditions that should be observed in the Charles Keller treatment system.• finally the stormwater treatment was simulated as part of a full storm-water management system (watershed-Charles Keller treatment system-wastewater treatment plant).• The results that were obtained showed in the one hand the complexity of using such a treatment system in real-life conditions, especially with a coagulation / flocculation part to it, which has some conceptual issues.

The studies in this dissertation address the issue of variability in runoff generation and pollutant concentration in urban areas, and specifically in the catchments of stormwater control measures. There is an imperfect correlation between runoff volumes and the capture area and land uses of urban catchments. Variable capture areas and uncertainty in urban runoff sources complicate stormwater control measure design and urban stream assessment. Four stormwater control measures in upstream suburban Philadelphia, ranging in capture area from 0.11 ha to 32 ha, were monitored, sampled, and modeled. Sampling was conducted in the watersheds of Wissahickon Creek, Tookany Creek, and Pennypack Creek. The approaches discussed below have the goal of better understanding runoff and the movement of associated contaminants into stormwater retention basins and streams. Rather than viewing runoff generation and contaminant transport as a static process, this work proposes that the amount of runoff contributed from different areas of a catchment changes during and between storm events, and that the origin and concentration of contaminants change as a result. Linking source areas to runoff volumes through natural and modeled tracers could improve predictions of water quality and quantity in stormwater control measures in urban streams. Nitrate (NO3–) isotope ratios were used as tracer of flow from different urban land uses. Time series samples of stormwater runoff entering two stormwater control measures (a constructed wetland and a small bioretention basin) were collected and analyzed to distinguish sources of NO3– by samples’ δ15N and δ18O ratios. A Bayesian mixing model was used to determine that NO3– sources were a mix of soil nitrogen (N) and atmospheric deposition across six storm events. Furthermore, atmospheric versus soil N sources varied throughout the storms. The large catchment of the constructed wetland had more NO3– source variability between samples compared to the small catchment of the bioretention basin. Thus, the NO3– isotopes suggest more distinct flow paths in the large catchment and more mixing of flow across land uses in the small catchment. Quantifying flow path variability from storm to storm and between different catchments can improve design and placement of urban stormwater control measures. A distributed hydrologic model, GSSHA, was used to simulate overland runoff from impervious and semi-pervious land covers in the catchment of a stormwater control measure. The positions of low vegetation and impervious land uses over the catchment were rearranged to create hypothetical catchments during four storm events. Fluctuating source proportions over time suggested that grab samples might not be adequate for capturing average overland runoff chemistry. It was also found that the portion of total runoff volume from impervious areas varied from 50 to 75% while the relative proportion of impervious cover remained constant at 54%. Land use percentages averaged over capture areas are frequently used to estimate runoff amounts and pollutant concentrations, but this model disrupts the assumption that urban hydrologic responses can be predicted from imperviousness alone. Overland runoff was measured and modeled before and after the installation of two stormwater control measures, a berm and a bioswale. Discharge in the stream was modeled for 9 storms ranging in size from 14 to 54 mm. We found that during 4 of the modeled storms there was no decrease in stream discharge and decreases in discharge were generally only observed for low intensity storms. Furthermore, only 5% of the stream catchment was captured by SCMs. Modeled tracers, used to track runoff contributions from areas upslope of the SCMs found that the size of upslope contributing areas did not predict the proportion of runoff generated in each area. Field data to support the models included water level loggers and samples of overland runoff collected in subsurface stormwater casing. After the SCMs were installed, less water was captured in downslope sampling bottles, but new flow paths developed. Furthermore, significant variation was observed in upslope concentrations of dissolved nutrients and total suspended solids, casting doubt on whether point samples of urban overland runoff geochemistry can be representative given variable runoff generation and heterogeneous land uses. This study points out the challenges in evaluating stormwater control measures and reveals that source areas’ contribution to stream flow varies independently of their size. Therefore, modeling before stormwater control measure installation is recommended to determine the factors that influence a capture area’s contribution to urban streamflow. / Geoscience