Stormwater Issues

By David Engle Urban stormwater ruins picnics and ballgames, raises floods, snarls traffic, threatens safety, wreaks destruction, costs cities millions in damage and disruption—and those are among the relatively short-lived effects. Stormwater runoff is also the leading source of water-quality problems nationwide, carrying sediment and other pollutants to lakes, streams, coastal estuaries, and even drinking supplies; one fairly recent persuasive report on this came from the United States National Resear...>... More >

By Janice Kaspersen   What would you say is your most pressing stormwater need right now? The gap your program is struggling to fill, the money you don’t quite have enough of to cover all that you need to do, or the hazards in a particular flood-prone neighborhood? Every stormwater program faces problems, and there are no simple solutions to cover all of them. But sometimes answers—or at least good ideas—are found in clusters. The very biggest and best of these clusters is StormCon 2012, taking pla...>... More >

By Don Talend San Angelo, TX, home of the Concho River that flows through the downtown area and three lakes, is a lot like many cities that sprang up along the banks of a river. Stormwater runoff affects the viability of drinking water and the ecosystem not only of San Angelo, but also of several communities located downstream. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) lists the North Concho River on its 2010 303(d) list for a water-quality impairment and cites water-quality concerns for high...>... More >

By Steve Goldberg National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II requires control of runoff from sites both during construction and after construction. Post-construction runoff control usually involves more permanent (and more expensive) devices than the temporary berms, silt fence, and other materials used during active construction. These permanent devices fall into two general categories: underground filtration systems (sometimes called hydrodynamic separators) and catch basin inser...>... More >

Camp Pendleton, CA, is home to the largest Marine Corps base on the West Coast. The 125,000-acre base is considered a top-notch training facility. Included on its grounds is the Wounded Warrior Battalion-West. This facility provides assistance to wounded, injured, and ill Marines, including those with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. The Wounded Warrior center aims to minimize long-term problems, reduce the Marine Corps’ suicide rate, and provide the necessary tools to get Marin...>... More >

Recently, there have been some significant changes in the regulation of pollutants found in urban stormwater. And it appears that more changes are still on the horizon. These changes have been categorized as either the establishment of numeric pollutant standards where narrative ones existed previously or numeric effluent pollutant limits in stormwater discharges. In December 2009, EPA issued a final rule that established numeric limits in stormwater discharges from construction sites that was to be imp...>... More >

Although a variety of stormwater management practices have been developed, the use of stormwater ponds is by far the most common practice employed to address coastal nonpoint source pollution (NPS) and flooding, particularly in coastal South Carolina (Law et al. 2008, Vandiver and Hernandez 2009). Stormwater ponds were one of the first recommended stormwater management practices by federal, state, and local agencies to reduce flooding potential. Today, coastal stormwater ponds are a common water feature...>... More >

ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS INC. (ADS) Advanced Drainage Systems Inc.’s (ADS) N_12 HP Corrugated Storm Pipe complies with recently published AASHTO MP21_11 standard for polypropylene pipe in surface and subsurface drainage applications. N_12 High Performance 12_inch through 60_inch dual_ and triple_wall corrugated pipe meets or exceeds this new national specification. Both public and private specifying agencies rely on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for pro...>... More >

Two construction-site stormwater management experts who spoke with Stormwater note that several years have passed since NPDES Phase II requirements first became effective. Since that time, they say, knowledge of stormwater management minimum control measures on construction sites has increased, although there still is room for improvement. It’s true that California is ahead of much of the country in most matters environmental. The state’s compliance with Phase II requirements is one of the foremost exam...>... More >

As they tackle the NPDES Phase II measure of public education and outreach, stormwater managers are working against the backdrop of many larger social issues, from the problem of the homeless in urban areas to the economic situation and the resulting lack of funding. However, successful efforts abound, often rooted in media campaigns and reaching out to young students. And some of the messages and changes in behavior—picking up after pets, for instance—seem to be catching on nationwide. Griffin, GA With...>... More >

When it comes to the public participation and involvement measure of NPDES Phase II, there are a number of ways in which to engage the public, including attitude surveys, stakeholder meetings, and the establishment of watershed organizations. Effective programs often include activities and opportunities such as adopting stream segments, reforestation, storm drain marking, stream cleanup and monitoring, volunteer water-quality monitoring, and wetland plantings. Volunteer efforts can help resource-strappe...>... More >

The EPA stated in the NPDES Phase II final rule, “Post-construction stormwater management in areas undergoing new development or redevelopment is necessary because runoff from these areas has been shown to significantly affect receiving waterbodies. Many studies indicate that prior planning and design for the minimization of pollutants in post-construction stormwater discharges is the most cost-effective approach to stormwater quality management. “There are generally two forms of substantial impacts of ...>... More >

As concerns grow over the negative impacts of urban development on water resources, low-impact-development (LID) practices, such as bioretention and permeable pavement, are increasingly becoming recommended or required. Historically, these practices have been implemented more frequently in areas with predominantly sandy soils, such as the North Carolina Coastal Plain, where generally high infiltration rates can reduce the need for underdrains and improve overall hydrologic function. As interest in LID i...>... More >

As you’re no doubt aware, EPA released its new five-year construction general permit in February, replacing the just-expired previous permit. This in itself is nothing out of the ordinary—except that the provisions of the new permit are, for those who’ve been watching EPA’s developing rules for construction sites over the last few years, somewhat unexpected. The question now is what the new CGP will mean for the stormwater industry and for water quality in general. EPA has been developing construction e...>... More >

BEST MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS INC. The BMP SNOUT, with the original Stainless TrashScreen, stops trash in its tracks and meets Full Trash Capture requirements. Best Management Products Inc. offers innovative and affordable products. At the company’s website, customers can download CAD drawings, design information, and literature and check pricing. There are more than 50,000 SNOUTs in service. www.bmpinc.com CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC Campbell Scientific’s new OBS500 Dual Turbidity Probe with Antifouling combines a ...>... More >

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued total maximum daily load (TMDL) mandates in March 2009 for the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a bay in east central Florida. (FDEP 2009). The TMDL requires communities to reduce nutrient loadings in their stormwater runoff. FDEP is currently undertaking the implementation stage of the TMDL program, called a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP), which is enforced through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) municipal separate stor...>... More >

In one part of the United States, municipal officials discover the original mapping of a floodplain is incorrect, setting the stage for a potential crisis following a significant weather event. Elsewhere, an engineer seeks answers to help mitigate frequent flooding. Sizing storm systems correctly is a challenge for another engineering firm. To that end, they are all using stormwater modeling and analysis software to help solve those challenges in a way that could not have been done in previous years. Re...>... More >

AIRMASTER AERATOR A powerful new aerator, designed to provide maximum aeration while using only a fraction of the energy required by other models, has been introduced by Airmaster Aerator of DeRidder, LA. The patented new aerator—the Turbo X-Treme—is a high-efficiency, floating/surface aerator that is powered by an energy-saving, 25-hp motor. It incorporates a “turbo” blower to achieve high-capacity water movement with maximum aeration and mixing incorporated in a discharge manifold. Due to its efficien...>... More >

The aim of this article is to encourage more use of native vegetation in our land-use practices. This encouragement takes the form of soil water retention and infiltration predictions for prairie vegetation (more than three years old) and forests (more than five years old) based on soil texture class and bulk density. These predictions are databased and describe the central tendencies of soil water properties in the upper soil column of native landscapes almost as well as established literature values d...>... More >

Cleveland’s Metroparks are at the receiving end of heavy runoff from surrounding communities. The parks have become catch basins for stormwater, which is impacting aquatic habitat, eroding hundreds of miles of riverbanks, and flushing sediment into Lake Erie. A study underway by Cleveland Metroparks within the Rocky River watershed is examining the hydrology of the vulnerable headwater streams affected by the runoff, as well as the effectiveness of small wetlands for water storage and water-quality impr...>... More >

ACF Environmental  www.acfenvironmental.com AP/M Permaform  www.permaform.net Bio Clean Environmental Services Inc.  www.biocleanenvironmental.net Brentwood Industries  www.brentwoodindustries.com Clearwater Solutions Inc.  www.clearwaterbmp.com Contech Stormwater Solutions  www.contech-cpi.com Crumpler Plastic Pipe Inc.  www.cpp-pipe.com Cultec Inc.  www.cultec.com Federal Signal (Elgin/Vactor)  www.vactor.com www.elginsweeper.com Filterra Bioretention Syste...>... More >

The small Colorado towns of Silver Cliff and Westcliffe, along with the Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District, and with the assistance of consultants Crabtree Group Inc. (CGI), civil engineers and town planners of Salida, CO, (members of the Congress for the New Urbanism) integrated cutting-edge town planning and rainwater treatment techniques to address acute flooding issues. Because Bob Squire, the town manager for the Town of Westcliffe, garnered the support of adjacent jurisdictions, CGI was ...>... More >

By Jeff Gunderson, Robert Roseen, Todd Janeski, Jamie Houle, and Michael Simpson Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) represent major water-quality threats to hundreds of cities and communities in the US that are served by combined sewer systems. CSO events cause the release of untreated stormwater and wastewater into receiving rivers, lakes, and estuaries, causing a host of environmental and economic problems. Costs associated with CSO management are expensive. The EPA estimates the costs of controlling CSO...>... More >

Planning for infrastructure investments in Nevada>... More >

Underground pipes and other structures do more than free up aboveground space. When they’re carefully selected and designed, they can accomplish a wide variety of goals, often in challenging situations. For example, at the Sacred Heart Senior Apartments in Saint Francis, WI, a pipe system meets requirements for total suspended solids (TSS) removal and reduces peak runoff. At the 3M corporate headquarters in St. Paul, MN, a different pipe system in a different configuration provides required improvements...>... More >

Experts agree that there are few alternatives to ordinary salt as a versatile, reliable, and economical aid to winter driving. First tested on roadways in New Hampshire in the 1940s, salt has amassed a stellar record for improving safety and cold-weather mobility. However, casual observation reveals that high concentrations of salt that occur near roadsides due to deicing can lead to several detrimental environmental impacts, and closer study has confirmed that the negative effects can extend much furth...>... More >

Under the Clean Water Act, the federal government has required cities to reduce and eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs). Cities are required to comply with those requirements to avoid penalization through fines and other legal actions. The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSDGC) is under a consent decree to respond to CSOs. The Ludlow Run watershed assessment was conducted in an effort to eliminate combined sewer discharges from seven CSOs located within the watershed. An innovat...>... More >

By Jonathan E. Jones, Jane Clary, Eric Strecker, Marcus Quigley, and Jeff Moeller Introduction In response to existing and evolving regulations regarding nutrients, fecal indicator bacteria, solids, metals, and runoff volume, urban stormwater professionals around the United States need reliable performance data for best management practices (BMPs). A few examples of current regulatory drivers include (1) the USEPA urging states to adopt numeric nutrient criteria, (2) steadily increasing use of numeric a...>... More >

The goal of improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay has long driven efforts to find more efficient, cost-effective methods for managing stormwater in the mid-Atlantic states. Over time, the prevailing paradigm has shifted from controlling peak flows to reducing runoff volumes so that they match a target condition, typically by means of low-impact-development (LID) concepts that encourage infiltration and disconnect impervious areas from waterways. Although retrofitting existing development to include...>... More >

Sarasota County, located on the west coast of Florida, has a longstanding reputation as an “early adopter” of sustainability. Sarasota County was the first county in the nation to adopt the American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Challenge for Carbon Neutrality, following through with policies for carbon neutrality in everything from procurement procedures to water treatment facilities, public transit, and utilization of renewable energy technologies. Recently, the county benchmarked its progress and fou...>... More >

Water quality plays a significant role in public health, quality of life, and the local economy of San Diego, CA, known worldwide for its beautiful coast and idyllic climate. Nowhere is this more evident than the La Jolla Shores marine environment, home to the San Diego Marine Life Refuge (Figure 1) and San Diego-La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Together, these areas are part of the larger San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park and listed by the State Water Resources Control Board as Areas of Special Biological...>... More >

“The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ but ‘That’s funny....’” –Isaac Asimov We are in a time of transition from a pollution reduction approach to stormwater quality management to one of volume-reduction. The volume of runoff itself is the pollutant of concern (or carries it). Being able to get rid of rainfall through evapotranspiration, infiltration, or alternate use (aka green infrastructure) before it becomes runoff is the current target b...>... More >

Whenever environmental services professionals gather at conferences around the world, both the sessions and networking conversations highlight the convergence of global warming, depletion of fossil fuels, problems with water quality and quantity, and the failure of automobile-centric policies. Advancements in urban design and well-planned infrastructure investment are two ways to address the problems. Light Imprint is an approach to neighborhood design that presents actual techniques now being used in n...>... More >

Communities and agencies responsible for stormwater management—i.e., municipal separate storm sewer (MS4) permit holders—continually face new challenges in the form of more stringent onsite control regulations to protect receiving waters. All these requirements have to be met with limited funding. At the roots of both of these challenges lie stormwater surface runoff best management practices (BMPs), which not only are designed to protect receiving waters from the impacts of urbanization, but also come ...>... More >

Shaffer, James L., Will P. Lumpkin, and Scott E. Monsen. 2009. Vector Concepts' Design Standards For the Prevention of Vector-Borne Diseases . Vector Concepts Ltd.>... More >

How Section 438 of the EISA affects planning>... More >

Early this year there was a new development in EPA’s ongoing work toward a numeric turbidity limit for discharge from construction sites. There’s still a chance for you to participate and offer comments on the numeric limit, as well as on the technologies surrounding its implementation. You have until March 5 to get your comments to EPA. Some background: In late 2009, EPA published its effluent limitations guidelines for the construction and development industry, which set a limit of 280 nephelometric t...>... More >

ACF Environmental www.acfenvironmental.com AP/M Permaform  www.permaform.net Belgard Hardscapes www.belgard.biz Best Management Products www.bmpinc.com Bio Clean Environmental www.biocleanenvironmental.net Brentwood Industries www.brentwoodindustries.com Contech Stormwater Solutions www.contech-cpi.com Crumpler Plastic Pipe Inc. www.cpp-pipe.com Earth Chem Inc. www.earthchem.com Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute www.escsi.org Filterra Bioretention Systems www.filterra.com Invisible Structure...>... More >

Warner Robins, GA, is a military town named in honor of Brigadier General Augustine Warner Robins. The city is built around Robins Air Force Base, Georgia’s largest employer. Its military background has had consequences for the town’s infrastructure. Rapid wartime expansion meant that sewers and other assets were put in quickly, with relatively little planning or inspection. As a result, “We have a lot of older corrugated metal pipe [CMP] storm sewer, even under roads,” says stormwater management techni...>... More >

The City of Austin’s (COA’s) Watershed Protection Department (WPD) engineers and scientists use a multitude of tools to analyze trends and evaluate possible methods to remedy and minimize environmental impacts, such as flooding, erosion, and water-quality degradation due to development. Traditional methods usually analyze the impacts of extreme events at certain points in time, yet WPD is also interested in more long-term effects. Needless to say, different applications require different analysis method...>... More >

ACF ENVIRONMENTAL TrashGuard is a patented stormwater pretreatment device that captures debris, sediment, and floatables. It is easy to install and maintain, and costs a fraction of other pretreatment devices currently available. TrashGuard has extensive testing and an available calculator to assist design professionals in selecting the correct screen size for their particular project. www.acfenvironmental.com   AIRMASTER AERATOR The Airmaster Aerator “Turbo X-Treme” aerator and the Airmaster Aerat...>... More >

The Sabine River Authority (SRA) was created in 1949 to equitably distribute the waters of the Sabine River and its tributaries. As part of this distribution, “We provide surface water to 11 industrial customers, such as Conoco and Louisiana Pigment, for cooling and processing,” says SRA facility manager Mike Carr. This water is conveyed mostly via a 35-mile-long open canal, but where that canal must cross under roadways and railroad tracks the water passes through inverted siphons. The siphons are made...>... More >

Some parts of the Chesapeake Bay are pristine, but other sections are so full of silt and runoff that they appear muddy even at ground level. Years of unregulated agricultural runoff, the growing amount of impervious surface from suburban sprawl, and the bureaucracy of several states intertwined with their own interests are the main reasons for the decline of the Chesapeake. The Chesapeake’s watershed covers 64,000 square miles. That territory includes large and small cities, suburbs, farmlands, forests...>... More >

Leveraging private investment to fund urban stormwater retrofits in Philadelphia and beyond>... More >

The announcement of the federal interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities was well received by the new urbanism and smart growth movements, which have been eager to assist with taking a more holistic view on how funding patterns and regulations shape our built environment. As part of this effort, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and our partners contacted the USEPA to discuss EPA Office of Water’s revision of the current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). We urged ...>... More >

While the Southeast United States is no stranger to dry conditions in the summertime, for most of 2007 and 2008 the region suffered its worst drought in decades. Around the same time, many developers and municipalities, spurred on by the water-quality requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II permit, had begun to focus on better stormwater management and sustainable site design practices. As a result, bioretention structures, those with a natural pollutant filt...>... More >

Town centers, walkable urbanism, compact growth, new urbanism: these are all terms associated with a growing movement toward walkable urban development. Above all else, this increasingly popular pattern of development implies proximity of uses, and therefore much higher density. Higher density is a necessary antecedent to walkable and vibrant urban neighborhoods. You can’t have walkability without proximity. But higher density also means more impervious surface cover per acre, resulting in a higher poll...>... More >

ACF Environmental  www.acfenvironmental.com Advanced Drainage Systems  www.ads-pipe.com American Water Works Association  www.awwa.org AP/M Permaform  www.permaform.net Bio Clean Environmental Services Inc.  www.biocleanenvironmental.net Brentwood Industries  www.brentwoodindustries.com Contech Stormwater Solutions  www.contech-cpi.com Crumpler Plastic Pipe Inc.  www.cpp-pipe.com Cultec Inc.  www.cultec.com ENPAC Corp.  www.enpac.com FDIS Green  www...>... More >