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Tim D Fletcher - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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can catchment scale urban Stormwater Management measures benefit the stream hydraulic environment
Journal of Environmental Management, 2019Co-Authors: Desmond Ofosu Anim, Tim D Fletcher, Matthew J Burns, Gregory B Pasternack, Geoff J Vietz, Hugh P DuncanAbstract:The potential for catchment-scale Stormwater control measures (SCMs) to mitigate the impact of Stormwater runoff issues and excess Stormwater volume is increasingly recognised. There is, however, limited understanding about their potential in reducing in-channel disturbance and improving hydraulic conditions for stream ecosystem benefits. This study investigates the benefits that SCM application in a catchment have on in-stream hydraulics. To do this, a two-dimensional hydraulic model was employed to simulate the stream hydraulic response to scenarios of SCM application applied in an urban catchment to return towards pre-development hydrologic pulses. The hydraulic response analysis considered three hydraulic metrics associated with key components of stream ecosystem functions: benthic mobilization, hydraulic diversity and retentive habitat availability. The results showed that when applied intensively, the developed SCM scenarios could effectively restore the in-stream hydraulics to close to natural levels. Compared to an unmanaged urban case (no SCMs), SCM scenarios yielded channels with reduced bed mobility potential, close to natural hydraulic diversity and improvement of retentive habitat availability. This indicates that mitigating the effect of Stormwater driven hydrological change could result in significant improvements in the physical environment to better support ecosystem functioning. We therefore suggest that intensive implementation of SCMs is an important action in an urbanizing catchment to maintain the flow regime and hydraulic conditions that sustain the 'natural' stream habitat functioning. We propose that Stormwater Management and protection of stream ecosystem processes should incorporate hydraulic metrics to measure the effectiveness of Management strategies.
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principles for urban Stormwater Management to protect stream ecosystems
Freshwater Science, 2016Co-Authors: Christopher J Walsh, Tim D Fletcher, Derek B Booth, Lan N Hoang, Grant Livingston, Megan A Rippy, Mateo Scoggins, Matthew J Burns, Rebecca L. Hale, Angela M WallaceAbstract:AbstractUrban Stormwater runoff is a critical source of degradation to stream ecosystems globally. Despite broad appreciation by stream ecologists of negative effects of Stormwater runoff, Stormwater Management objectives still typically center on flood and pollution mitigation without an explicit focus on altered hydrology. Resulting Management approaches are unlikely to protect the ecological structure and function of streams adequately. We present critical elements of Stormwater Management necessary for protecting stream ecosystems through 5 principles intended to be broadly applicable to all urban landscapes that drain to a receiving stream: 1) the ecosystems to be protected and a target ecological state should be explicitly identified; 2) the postdevelopment balance of evapotranspiration, stream flow, and infiltration should mimic the predevelopment balance, which typically requires keeping significant runoff volume from reaching the stream; 3) Stormwater control measures (SCMs) should deliver flow r...
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more than money how multiple factors influence householder participation in at source Stormwater Management
Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2016Co-Authors: Helen L Brown, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Darren G Bos, Sharyn RossrakeshAbstract:Urban Stormwater run-off is a threat to stream ecosystems. New approaches to Stormwater Management aim to protect urban streams from such impacts, by retaining, treating and using Stormwater at its source. As up to ∼50% of runoff from urban surfaces comes from private property, fostering Stormwater retention requires effective householder engagement. We evaluated householder participation in the Little Stringybark Creek project, a Stormwater retrofit programme aimed at waterway protection, using qualitative enquiry through formal and informal interviews to identify factors that influenced participation. Participation was governed by multiple factors, with financial incentives and personal co-benefits of tanks primary motivators, while process complexity and distrust were primary barriers. Results suggest an approach combining education to encourage review of subjective norms and attitudes, with incentives to mitigate behavioural controls can transform public behaviour towards sustainable Stormwater Management.
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source control Stormwater Management for mitigating the impacts of urbanisation on baseflow a review
Journal of Hydrology, 2013Co-Authors: Perrine Hamel, Tim D Fletcher, Edoardo DalyAbstract:Summary While infiltration source-control technologies are increasingly used to manage the volume, rate and quality of Stormwater runoff, there is little guidance on their role and impact on baseflow. This review addresses the impacts of urbanisation on baseflow in peri-urban catchments, with the aim to better understand the potential role of Stormwater infiltration source-control technologies in restoring pre-development baseflows. We analyse the physiographic and anthropogenic factors that affect the baseflow response to urbanisation. We also suggest that observed uncertainties in these baseflow responses may arise from inconsistencies in site assessment methodologies, including measurement techniques and selection of indicators. We use the natural flow paradigm to propose catchment-scale baseflow objectives and illustrate potential barriers in translating these catchment-scale objectives to the site scale. Finally, we examine the function of source-control Stormwater infiltration techniques in light of both design and environmental parameters (e.g. climate, soil properties). Although we conclude that source-control technologies have potential to mitigate the impact of urbanisation on baseflow hydrology, the complexity of subsurface flow processes makes it difficult to model the effects of the implementation of several Stormwater Management techniques on catchment baseflow. We thus suggest that the adoption of a clear framework for baseflow assessment in pre- and post-development states, along with fundamental research on the translation from site-scale processes to catchment-scale effects, are essential research steps to guide future Stormwater Management for baseflow in peri-urban catchments.
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hydrologic shortcomings of conventional urban Stormwater Management and opportunities for reform
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2012Co-Authors: Matthew J Burns, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Anthony Richard Ladson, Belinda Elizabeth HattAbstract:Conventional approaches to Stormwater Management for environmental protection fail because they do not address all of the changes to the flow regime caused by conventional Stormwater drainage. In this paper, we contrasted the hydrologic effects of two conventional approaches to urban Stormwater Management – (a) drainage-efficiency focused and (b) pollutant-load-reduction focused – identifying their shortcomings and contrasting their hydrologic outcomes with those of a proposed alternative approach focused on restoring important elements of the natural flow regime. Under conventional approaches, both high-flow and low-flow hydrology remain perturbed. We suggest that urban Stormwater Management should emphasize the restoration or protection of natural hydrologic processes at small scales, with the aim of restoring natural flow regimes at larger scales downstream. We therefore suggest that, despite recent advances in managing Stormwater to reduce pollutant loads and peak flow rates, a more complete approach is needed, one which includes as a goal the restoration or protection of ecologically important elements of the pre-development hydrograph. We propose an approach, flow-regime Management, which aims as much as possible to restore and protect ecological structure and function of urban streams by retaining the pre-urban frequency of untreated storm flows, reducing the total Stormwater runoff volume through evapotranspiration or harvesting, and delivering filtered flow rates to match pre-urban baseflow rates. We note, however, that the cumulative effects of urban Stormwater Management at smaller scales on catchment-scale hydrology are not yet fully understood.
Hugh P Duncan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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can catchment scale urban Stormwater Management measures benefit the stream hydraulic environment
Journal of Environmental Management, 2019Co-Authors: Desmond Ofosu Anim, Tim D Fletcher, Matthew J Burns, Gregory B Pasternack, Geoff J Vietz, Hugh P DuncanAbstract:The potential for catchment-scale Stormwater control measures (SCMs) to mitigate the impact of Stormwater runoff issues and excess Stormwater volume is increasingly recognised. There is, however, limited understanding about their potential in reducing in-channel disturbance and improving hydraulic conditions for stream ecosystem benefits. This study investigates the benefits that SCM application in a catchment have on in-stream hydraulics. To do this, a two-dimensional hydraulic model was employed to simulate the stream hydraulic response to scenarios of SCM application applied in an urban catchment to return towards pre-development hydrologic pulses. The hydraulic response analysis considered three hydraulic metrics associated with key components of stream ecosystem functions: benthic mobilization, hydraulic diversity and retentive habitat availability. The results showed that when applied intensively, the developed SCM scenarios could effectively restore the in-stream hydraulics to close to natural levels. Compared to an unmanaged urban case (no SCMs), SCM scenarios yielded channels with reduced bed mobility potential, close to natural hydraulic diversity and improvement of retentive habitat availability. This indicates that mitigating the effect of Stormwater driven hydrological change could result in significant improvements in the physical environment to better support ecosystem functioning. We therefore suggest that intensive implementation of SCMs is an important action in an urbanizing catchment to maintain the flow regime and hydraulic conditions that sustain the 'natural' stream habitat functioning. We propose that Stormwater Management and protection of stream ecosystem processes should incorporate hydraulic metrics to measure the effectiveness of Management strategies.
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nitrogen composition in urban runoff implications for Stormwater Management
Water Research, 2005Co-Authors: Geoff Desmond Taylor, Tim D Fletcher, Hugh P Duncan, Tony Hoong Fatt Wong, Peter F BreenAbstract:Abstract A study was conducted to characterise the composition of nitrogen in urban Stormwater in Melbourne, Australia, during baseflows and storm events, and to compare the results with international data. Nitrogen in Melbourne Stormwater was predominantly dissolved (∼80%), with ammonia the least-abundant form (∼11%). Concentrations of nitrogen species did not vary significantly between baseflow and storms, although the proportion of nitrogen in particulate form was higher during storm events ( p = 0.04 ). Whilst the composition of nitrogen in Melbourne was broadly consistent with international data, the level of dissolved inorganic nitrogen was higher in Melbourne ( μ = 48 % during baseflows and 49% during storms) than in the international literature ( μ = 29 % ). Limitations in the international dataset precluded comparison of total dissolved nitrogen. The results have implications for Stormwater Management. Whilst nitrogen species concentrations are variable, they are not strongly related to flow conditions, so treatment systems must be designed to cope with stochastic inflow concentrations at all times. To optimise their performance, Stormwater treatments should be designed to improve dissolved nitrogen removal. Further research is needed to improve the ability of treatment systems to achieve this aim.
Rebekah Ruth Brown - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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actors working the institutions in sustainability transitions the case of melbourne s Stormwater Management
Global Environmental Change-human and Policy Dimensions, 2013Co-Authors: Rebekah Ruth Brown, Megan Farrelly, Derk LoorbachAbstract:Abstract The role of agency in overcoming path dependence and enabling sustainability transitions is receiving increasing attention. Currently lacking are more empirically derived explanations of the co-evolutionary dynamics between actors and institutional change that could potentially provide guidance on facilitating such transitions into the future. This paper investigates these dynamics through a longitudinal case analysis of Melbourne's transition to improved Stormwater quality treatment. The complex data collection, analysis and validation approach, which included oral histories, semi-structured interviews, industry workshops and documentary analysis, examined the nuances of the actor-related strategies and institutional enabling processes throughout the different phases of the transition over the last fifty years. The results revealed the importance of a small group of loosely connected frontrunners from across government, private, community and scientific sectors who, through a mix of creating and disrupting institutional strategies, managed to facilitate a growing and diverse actor-network that steered this transition over decades. The establishment of networked bridging organisations was also instrumental because they formed different types of networks and alliances over time for protecting and deepening the reach of the transition dynamics across the city. The findings suggest there is no single cause–effect relationship nor one dominant intervention or action that shifted the urban Stormwater Management regime. Rather, it showed that the co-evolutionary processes between the broader transitional dynamics were played into by frontrunners and their actor-networks in such a way that emerging new narratives diffused, giving meaning to the evolving scientific agendas and on-the-ground experiments, which led to new institutional structures and enabling administrative tools. It seems as though each one of these dimensions is as crucial as the other in explaining the outcomes of this successful sustainability transition.
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impediments and solutions to sustainable watershed scale urban Stormwater Management lessons from australia and the united states
Environmental Management, 2008Co-Authors: Seth J Wenger, Hale W Thurston, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Anthony Richard Ladson, William D. Shuster, Rebekah Ruth BrownAbstract:In urban and suburban areas, Stormwater runoff is a primary stressor on surface waters. Conventional urban Stormwater drainage systems often route runoff directly to streams and rivers, thus exacerbating pollutant inputs and hydrologic disturbance, and resulting in the degradation of ecosystem structure and function. Decentralized Stormwater Management tools, such as low impact development (LID) or water sensitive urban design (WSUD), may offer a more sustainable solution to Stormwater Management if implemented at a watershed scale. These tools are designed to pond, infiltrate, and harvest water at the source, encouraging evaporation, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge, and re-use of Stormwater. While there are numerous demonstrations of WSUD practices, there are few examples of widespread implementation at a watershed scale with the explicit objective of protecting or restoring a receiving stream. This article identifies seven major impediments to sustainable urban Stormwater Management: (1) uncertainties in performance and cost, (2) insufficient engineering standards and guidelines, (3) fragmented responsibilities, (4) lack of institutional capacity, (5) lack of legislative mandate, (6) lack of funding and effective market incentives, and (7) resistance to change. By comparing experiences from Australia and the United States, two developed countries with existing conventional Stormwater infrastructure and escalating stream ecosystem degradation, we highlight challenges facing sustainable urban Stormwater Management and offer several examples of successful, regional WSUD implementation. We conclude by identifying solutions to each of the seven impediments that, when employed separately or in combination, should encourage widespread implementation of WSUD with watershed-based goals to protect human health and safety, and stream ecosystems.
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impediments to integrated urban Stormwater Management the need for institutional reform
Environmental Management, 2005Co-Authors: Rebekah Ruth BrownAbstract:It is now well established that the traditional practice of urban Stormwater Management contributes to the degradation of receiving waterways, and this practice was more recently critiqued for facilitating the wastage of a valuable water resource. However, despite significant advances in alternative "integrated urban Stormwater Management" techniques and processes over the last 20 years, wide-scale implementation has been limited. This problem is indicative of broader institutional impediments that are beyond current concerns of strengthening technological and planning process expertise. Presented here is an analysis of the institutionalization of urban Stormwater Management across Sydney with the objective of scoping institutional impediments to more sustainable Management approaches. The analysis reveals that the inertia with the public administration of urban Stormwater inherently privileges and perpetuates traditional Stormwater Management practices at implementation. This inertia is characterized by historically entrained forms of technocratic institutional power and expertise, values and leadership, and structure and jurisdiction posing significant impediments to change and the realization of integrated urban Stormwater Management. These insights strongly point to the need for institutional change specifically directed at fostering horizontal integration of the various functions of the existing administrative regime. This would need to be underpinned with capacity-building interventions targeted at enabling a learning culture that values integration and participatory decision making. These insights also provide guideposts for assessing the institutional and capacity development needs for improving urban water Management practices in other contexts.
Christopher J Walsh - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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principles for urban Stormwater Management to protect stream ecosystems
Freshwater Science, 2016Co-Authors: Christopher J Walsh, Tim D Fletcher, Derek B Booth, Lan N Hoang, Grant Livingston, Megan A Rippy, Mateo Scoggins, Matthew J Burns, Rebecca L. Hale, Angela M WallaceAbstract:AbstractUrban Stormwater runoff is a critical source of degradation to stream ecosystems globally. Despite broad appreciation by stream ecologists of negative effects of Stormwater runoff, Stormwater Management objectives still typically center on flood and pollution mitigation without an explicit focus on altered hydrology. Resulting Management approaches are unlikely to protect the ecological structure and function of streams adequately. We present critical elements of Stormwater Management necessary for protecting stream ecosystems through 5 principles intended to be broadly applicable to all urban landscapes that drain to a receiving stream: 1) the ecosystems to be protected and a target ecological state should be explicitly identified; 2) the postdevelopment balance of evapotranspiration, stream flow, and infiltration should mimic the predevelopment balance, which typically requires keeping significant runoff volume from reaching the stream; 3) Stormwater control measures (SCMs) should deliver flow r...
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more than money how multiple factors influence householder participation in at source Stormwater Management
Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2016Co-Authors: Helen L Brown, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Darren G Bos, Sharyn RossrakeshAbstract:Urban Stormwater run-off is a threat to stream ecosystems. New approaches to Stormwater Management aim to protect urban streams from such impacts, by retaining, treating and using Stormwater at its source. As up to ∼50% of runoff from urban surfaces comes from private property, fostering Stormwater retention requires effective householder engagement. We evaluated householder participation in the Little Stringybark Creek project, a Stormwater retrofit programme aimed at waterway protection, using qualitative enquiry through formal and informal interviews to identify factors that influenced participation. Participation was governed by multiple factors, with financial incentives and personal co-benefits of tanks primary motivators, while process complexity and distrust were primary barriers. Results suggest an approach combining education to encourage review of subjective norms and attitudes, with incentives to mitigate behavioural controls can transform public behaviour towards sustainable Stormwater Management.
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hydrologic shortcomings of conventional urban Stormwater Management and opportunities for reform
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2012Co-Authors: Matthew J Burns, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Anthony Richard Ladson, Belinda Elizabeth HattAbstract:Conventional approaches to Stormwater Management for environmental protection fail because they do not address all of the changes to the flow regime caused by conventional Stormwater drainage. In this paper, we contrasted the hydrologic effects of two conventional approaches to urban Stormwater Management – (a) drainage-efficiency focused and (b) pollutant-load-reduction focused – identifying their shortcomings and contrasting their hydrologic outcomes with those of a proposed alternative approach focused on restoring important elements of the natural flow regime. Under conventional approaches, both high-flow and low-flow hydrology remain perturbed. We suggest that urban Stormwater Management should emphasize the restoration or protection of natural hydrologic processes at small scales, with the aim of restoring natural flow regimes at larger scales downstream. We therefore suggest that, despite recent advances in managing Stormwater to reduce pollutant loads and peak flow rates, a more complete approach is needed, one which includes as a goal the restoration or protection of ecologically important elements of the pre-development hydrograph. We propose an approach, flow-regime Management, which aims as much as possible to restore and protect ecological structure and function of urban streams by retaining the pre-urban frequency of untreated storm flows, reducing the total Stormwater runoff volume through evapotranspiration or harvesting, and delivering filtered flow rates to match pre-urban baseflow rates. We note, however, that the cumulative effects of urban Stormwater Management at smaller scales on catchment-scale hydrology are not yet fully understood.
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impediments and solutions to sustainable watershed scale urban Stormwater Management lessons from australia and the united states
Environmental Management, 2008Co-Authors: Seth J Wenger, Hale W Thurston, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Anthony Richard Ladson, William D. Shuster, Rebekah Ruth BrownAbstract:In urban and suburban areas, Stormwater runoff is a primary stressor on surface waters. Conventional urban Stormwater drainage systems often route runoff directly to streams and rivers, thus exacerbating pollutant inputs and hydrologic disturbance, and resulting in the degradation of ecosystem structure and function. Decentralized Stormwater Management tools, such as low impact development (LID) or water sensitive urban design (WSUD), may offer a more sustainable solution to Stormwater Management if implemented at a watershed scale. These tools are designed to pond, infiltrate, and harvest water at the source, encouraging evaporation, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge, and re-use of Stormwater. While there are numerous demonstrations of WSUD practices, there are few examples of widespread implementation at a watershed scale with the explicit objective of protecting or restoring a receiving stream. This article identifies seven major impediments to sustainable urban Stormwater Management: (1) uncertainties in performance and cost, (2) insufficient engineering standards and guidelines, (3) fragmented responsibilities, (4) lack of institutional capacity, (5) lack of legislative mandate, (6) lack of funding and effective market incentives, and (7) resistance to change. By comparing experiences from Australia and the United States, two developed countries with existing conventional Stormwater infrastructure and escalating stream ecosystem degradation, we highlight challenges facing sustainable urban Stormwater Management and offer several examples of successful, regional WSUD implementation. We conclude by identifying solutions to each of the seven impediments that, when employed separately or in combination, should encourage widespread implementation of WSUD with watershed-based goals to protect human health and safety, and stream ecosystems.
William D. Shuster - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the role of trees in urban Stormwater Management
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2017Co-Authors: Adam Berland, Sheri A Shiflett, Ahjond S Garmestani, Haynes C Goddard, Dustin L Herrmann, William D. Shuster, Matthew E HoptonAbstract:Urban impervious surfaces convert precipitation to Stormwater runoff, which causes water quality and quantity problems. While traditional Stormwater Management has relied on gray infrastructure such as piped conveyances to collect and convey Stormwater to wastewater treatment facilities or into surface waters, cities are exploring green infrastructure to manage Stormwater at its source. Decentralized green infrastructure leverages the capabilities of soil and vegetation to infiltrate, redistribute, and otherwise store Stormwater volume, with the potential to realize ancillary environmental, social, and economic benefits. To date, green infrastructure science and practice have largely focused on infiltration-based technologies that include rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavements. However, a narrow focus on infiltration overlooks other losses from the hydrologic cycle, and we propose that arboriculture – the cultivation of trees and other woody plants – deserves additional consideration as a Stormwater control measure. Trees interact with the urban hydrologic cycle by intercepting incoming precipitation, removing water from the soil via transpiration, enhancing infiltration, and bolstering the performance of other green infrastructure technologies. However, many of these interactions are inadequately understood, particularly at spatial and temporal scales relevant to Stormwater Management. As such, the reliable use of trees for Stormwater control depends on improved understanding of how and to what extent trees interact with Stormwater, and the context-specific consideration of optimal arboricultural practices and institutional frameworks to maximize the Stormwater benefits trees can provide.
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how much is enough minimal responses of water quality and stream biota to partial retrofit Stormwater Management in a suburban neighborhood
PLOS ONE, 2014Co-Authors: Allison H Roy, Matthew E Hopton, William D. Shuster, Lee Rhea, Audrey L Mayer, Jake J Beaulieu, Matthew A Morrison, Ann St AmandAbstract:Decentralized Stormwater Management approaches (e.g., biofiltration swales, pervious pavement, green roofs, rain gardens) that capture, detain, infiltrate, and filter runoff are now commonly used to minimize the impacts of Stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces on aquatic ecosystems. However, there is little research on the effectiveness of retrofit, parcel-scale Stormwater Management practices for improving downstream aquatic ecosystem health. A reverse auction was used to encourage homeowners to mitigate Stormwater on their property within the suburban, 1.8 km2 Shepherd Creek catchment in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA). In 2007–2008, 165 rain barrels and 81 rain gardens were installed on 30% of the properties in four experimental (treatment) subcatchments, and two additional subcatchments were maintained as controls. At the base of the subcatchments, we sampled monthly baseflow water quality, and seasonal (5×/year) physical habitat, periphyton assemblages, and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the streams for the three years before and after treatment implementation. Given the minor reductions in directly connected impervious area from the rain barrel installations (11.6% to 10.4% in the most impaired subcatchment) and high total impervious levels (13.1% to 19.9% in experimental subcatchments), we expected minor or no responses of water quality and biota to Stormwater Management. There were trends of increased conductivity, iron, and sulfate for control sites, but no such contemporaneous trends for experimental sites. The minor effects of treatment on streamflow volume and water quality did not translate into changes in biotic health, and the few periphyton and macroinvertebrate responses could be explained by factors not associated with the treatment (e.g., vegetation clearing, drought conditions). Improvement of overall stream health is unlikely without additional treatment of major impervious surfaces (including roads, apartment buildings, and parking lots). Further research is needed to define the minimum effect threshold and restoration trajectories for retrofitting catchments to improve the health of stream ecosystems.
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catchment scale hydrologic implications of parcel level Stormwater Management ohio usa
Journal of Hydrology, 2013Co-Authors: William D. Shuster, Lee RheaAbstract:Summary The effectiveness of Stormwater Management strategies is a key issue affecting decision making on urban water resources Management, and so proper monitoring and analysis of pilot studies must be addressed before drawing conclusions. We performed a pilot study in the suburban Shepherd Creek watershed located in Cincinnati, Ohio to evaluate the practicality of voluntary incentives for Stormwater quantity reduction on privately owned suburban properties. Stream discharge and precipitation were monitored 3 years before and after implementation of the Stormwater Management treatments. To implement Stormwater control measures, we elicited the participation of citizen landowners with two successive reverse-auctions. Auctions were held in spring 2007, and 2008, resulting in the installation of 85 rain gardens and 174 rain barrels. We demonstrated an analytic process of increasing model flexibility to determine hydrologic effectiveness of Stormwater Management at the sub-catchment level. A significant albeit small proportion of total variance was explained by both the effects of study period (∼69%) and treatment-vs.-control (∼7%). Precipitation–discharge relationships were synthesized in estimated unit hydrographs, which were decomposed and components tested for influence of treatments. Analysis of unit hydrograph parameters showed a weakened correlation between precipitation and discharge, and support the output from the initial model that parcel-level green infrastructure added detention capacity to treatment basins. We conclude that retrofit Management of Stormwater runoff quantity with green infrastructure in a small suburban catchment can be successfully initiated with novel economic incentive programs, and that these measures can impart a small, but statistically significant decrease in otherwise uncontrolled runoff volume. Given consistent monitoring data and analysis, water resource managers can use our approach as a way to estimate actual effectiveness of Stormwater runoff volume Management, with potential benefits for Management of both separated and combined sewer systems. We also discuss lessons-learned with regard to monitoring design for catchment-scale hydrologic studies.
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identification and induction of human social and cultural capitals through an experimental approach to Stormwater Management
Sustainability, 2012Co-Authors: Olivia Odom Green, William D. Shuster, Ahjond S Garmestani, Lee K Rhea, Hale W ThurstonAbstract:Decentralized Stormwater Management is based on the dispersal of Stormwater Management practices (SWMP) throughout a watershed to manage Stormwater runoff volume and potentially restore natural hydrologic processes. This approach to Stormwater Management is increasingly popular but faces constraints related to land access and citizen engagement. We tested a novel method of environmental Management through citizen-based Stormwater Management on suburban private land. After a nominal induction of human capital through an education campaign, two successive (2007, 2008) reverse auctions engaged residents to voluntarily bid on installation of SWMPs on their property. Cumulatively, 81 rain gardens and 165 rain barrels were installed on approximately one-third of the 350 eligible residential properties in the watershed, resulting in an estimated 360 m 3 increase in Stormwater detention capacity. One surprising result was the abundance of zero dollar bids, indicating even a limited-effort human capital campaign was sufficient to enroll many participants. In addition, we used statistical methods to illustrate the significant role of social capital in forming clusters of adjacent properties that participated in bidding. This indicated that as participants shared their experiences, neighbors may have become more willing to trust the program and enroll. Significant agglomerations of participating properties may indicate a shift in neighborhood
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impediments and solutions to sustainable watershed scale urban Stormwater Management lessons from australia and the united states
Environmental Management, 2008Co-Authors: Seth J Wenger, Hale W Thurston, Tim D Fletcher, Christopher J Walsh, Anthony Richard Ladson, William D. Shuster, Rebekah Ruth BrownAbstract:In urban and suburban areas, Stormwater runoff is a primary stressor on surface waters. Conventional urban Stormwater drainage systems often route runoff directly to streams and rivers, thus exacerbating pollutant inputs and hydrologic disturbance, and resulting in the degradation of ecosystem structure and function. Decentralized Stormwater Management tools, such as low impact development (LID) or water sensitive urban design (WSUD), may offer a more sustainable solution to Stormwater Management if implemented at a watershed scale. These tools are designed to pond, infiltrate, and harvest water at the source, encouraging evaporation, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge, and re-use of Stormwater. While there are numerous demonstrations of WSUD practices, there are few examples of widespread implementation at a watershed scale with the explicit objective of protecting or restoring a receiving stream. This article identifies seven major impediments to sustainable urban Stormwater Management: (1) uncertainties in performance and cost, (2) insufficient engineering standards and guidelines, (3) fragmented responsibilities, (4) lack of institutional capacity, (5) lack of legislative mandate, (6) lack of funding and effective market incentives, and (7) resistance to change. By comparing experiences from Australia and the United States, two developed countries with existing conventional Stormwater infrastructure and escalating stream ecosystem degradation, we highlight challenges facing sustainable urban Stormwater Management and offer several examples of successful, regional WSUD implementation. We conclude by identifying solutions to each of the seven impediments that, when employed separately or in combination, should encourage widespread implementation of WSUD with watershed-based goals to protect human health and safety, and stream ecosystems.