Download or read book Innovating Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Nutrient Management written by Emma V. Lopez-Ponnada and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban stormwater and nutrient management are increasingly important topics to address globally, as coastal urbanization increases, disturbing the natural landscape, hydrology, and water quality. Untreated urban stormwater runoff carries pollutants that enter our waterways, such as rivers and marine environments, which serve as drinking water sources, recreational sites, and locations for economic livelihood. One pollutant and nutrient of concern for water quality is reactive nitrogen (N). Since pre-industrial time, reactive nitrogen has doubled from human activity. When found in excess in waterways, nitrogen causes an overabundant growth of algae, which can result in eutrophic and hypoxic conditions, impacting ecosystems, human health, and the economy. For this reason, managing the nitrogen cycle, designing a future without pollution, and creating healthy resilient cities have become grand challenges in the 21st century, as listed by the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Green stormwater infrastructure is a suite of low impact development technologies and best management practices that can be applied strategically throughout a watershed to capture stormwater and reduce pollutants from urban runoff to natural waterways. One such technology increasingly being implemented is bioretention, a structural low impact development technology. Bioretention systems consist of a shallow depression with a planting bed and a series of permeable layers where the water that passes is filtered and treated. However, conventional bioretention systems are not designed specifically to remove or recover dissolved nitrogen species found in stormwater. They have poor and inconsistent nitrogen removal, especially for nitrate (NO3-), which can be exported from conventional systems. Nitrogen removal in a bioretention system can be improved by modifying the conventional system to promote biological nitrogen removal processes. Denitrification, the reduction of NO3- to inert gaseous nitrogen (N2), can be enhanced with the inclusion of an internal water storage zone (IWSZ) at the bottom of a bioretention system that contains an electron donor (e.g., an organic carbon source from wood chips). In modified bioretention systems reactive nitrogen is removed from the water and returned to the atmosphere. Prior studies have shown that the use of an IWSZ with a carbon source resulted in total nitrogen removal efficiencies greater than 88% under laboratory conditions. However, there have not been previous long-term field studies conducted on modified denitrifying bioretention systems for treating stormwater runoff assessing their continuous performance and stability.
Download or read book Green Stormwater Infrastructure Fundamentals and Design written by Allen P. Davis and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2022-07-26 with total page 516 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Fundamentals and Design Discover novel stormwater control measures to make for a greener tomorrow! The protection of our aquatic resources is growing in importance as the effects of climate change and continued urbanization are felt throughout the world. While most rain that falls onto vegetated spaces infiltrates the soil, rain that falls onto impervious surfaces will not, increasing downstream flooding and erosion and causing impaired water quality. Impervious surfaces such as road infrastructure, rooftops, and parking areas all increase runoff and mobilize many pollutants that have deposited on these surfaces that are then carried into our waterways. Proper management of this stormwater through green infrastructure is essential to address these challenges and reduce the environmental and ecological impacts brought about by this runoff. This book brings into focus resilient stormwater control measures (SCMs) for the reduction of stormwater flows and associated pollutants that can detrimentally impact our local environmental and ecological systems. These interventions are green infrastructure based, utilizing natural hydrologic and environmental features using soil and vegetation to manage stormwater. These technologies include water harvesting, bioretention and bioinfiltration, vegetated swales and filter strips, permeable pavements, sand filters, green roofs, and stormwater wetlands, among others. The basic science and engineering of these technologies is discussed, including performance information and best maintenance practices. Green Stormwater Infrastructure readers will also find: Research-informed resilient SCM design fundamentals Diagrams developed by the authors to enhance understanding Case studies to illustrate the points elucidated in the book End-of-chapter problems with a separate solutions manual Green Stormwater Infrastructure is an ideal resource for environmental, civil, and biological engineers and environmental scientists in the consulting field. Landscape architects, managers and engineers of watershed districts, and members of federal, state, and local governmental agencies—especially those in the departments of environmental protection and transportation—will find many uses for this guidebook. It will also be of interest to professors, upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in environmental, civil, and biological engineering programs.
Download or read book Choosing Green Over Gray written by Sarah Anne Madden and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All modem cities-characterized by paved roads, rooftops, parking lots, and impacted soils-have serious problems with stormwater, and those problems are only growing as urbanization proceeds and climate change causes more severe weather events. Historically, cities have used gray infrastructure to manage stormwater; this is not only costly but causes an array of environmental problems. Proponents have long advocated using a green infrastructure approach, which has numerous advantages over traditional gray infrastructure systems. Nevertheless, very few U.S. cities have invested in green infrastructure on a significant scale. The question, then, is why have cities resisted adopting green infrastructure, and what would it take for them to choose a landscape-based approach to stormwater management over a conventional engineering solution? To answer this question, I studied a city that recently decided to embrace green infrastructure in a big way: Philadelphia. I argue that (i) new stormwater regulations and the 1990 withdrawal of federal funding changed the constraints and incentives for the city to make green infrastructure viable, particularly for a cash-strapped city; (2) a policy entrepreneur in the Philadelphia Water Department did two key things in preparation for a future policy window: he created an office organized around watersheds, and began redefining the problem; and (3) the policy entrepreneur capitalized on a regulatory policy window, the Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan Update, that garnered momentum from the city's decision to "re-brand" itself as a green city and galvanized support for the $1.6 billion plan for green infrastructure across the city. These conclusions are supported by evidence from Philadelphia's decision to adopt a green infrastructure approach to manage runoff. Finally, I discuss the implications of these findings and make recommendations for the implementation of the plan.
Download or read book Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban and Rural Development written by Luis A. Sañudo-Fontaneda and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2021-04-22 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban and Rural Development” offers some of the latest international scientific and practitioner findings around the adaptation of urban, rural and transportation infrastructures to climate change by sustainable water management. This book addresses the main gaps in the up-to-date literature and provides the reader with a holistic view, ranging from a strategic and multiscale planning, implementation and decision-making angle down to the engineering details for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green stormwater techniques such as sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and stormwater control measures (SCMs). This book is particularly recommended for a wide audience of readers, such as academics/researchers and students in the fields of architecture and landscaping, engineering, environmental and natural sciences, social and physical geography and urban and territorial planning. This book is also a resource for practitioners and professionals developing their work in architecture studios, engineering companies, local and regional authorities, water and environmental industries, infrastructure maintenance, regulators, planners, developers and legislators.
Download or read book Urban Stormwater Management in the United States written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2009-03-17 with total page 611 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rapid conversion of land to urban and suburban areas has profoundly altered how water flows during and following storm events, putting higher volumes of water and more pollutants into the nation's rivers, lakes, and estuaries. These changes have degraded water quality and habitat in virtually every urban stream system. The Clean Water Act regulatory framework for addressing sewage and industrial wastes is not well suited to the more difficult problem of stormwater discharges. This book calls for an entirely new permitting structure that would put authority and accountability for stormwater discharges at the municipal level. A number of additional actions, such as conserving natural areas, reducing hard surface cover (e.g., roads and parking lots), and retrofitting urban areas with features that hold and treat stormwater, are recommended.
Download or read book Water Resources Management written by Robert C. Brears and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2024-04-01 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Water resource management consists of planning, developing, distributing and managing the available water resources. With increasing population growth, urbanization, and climate change, water management becomes more demanding. This book presents innovative solutions for present as well as future challenges we are facing in water conservation and water quality protection. The 2nd Ed. entails new figures, percentages, latest information, trends, and all case studies updated with new ones. Provides a green perspective on how water is and can be used. The update will entail new figures, percentages, latest information, trends, and all case studies updated with new ones.
Download or read book Diffusion of Innovations and Decentralized Green Stormwater Infrastructure written by Ian Taggart Johnston and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Report was undertaken as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning and also as an investigation into how the City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department (WPD) can advance the particular goals of their Pilot Project: “Rain Catcher”. The Report explores and discusses: 1) the ways in which infrastructure in cities has been regarded and constructed over time, 2) how these perspectives and approaches have influenced stormwater management in the United States, 3) what this has entailed in the case of Austin, Texas, specifically and 4) what are the current barriers and opportunities for the WPD Rain Catcher Pilot Project. With this Pilot Project, the WPD seeks to understand if installing green stormwater systems (e.g. rain gardens and cisterns) on private and public parcels is a feasible alternative service delivery model for stormwater management. To identify the potential barriers and opportunities (i.e financial, technical, cultural, etc.), this study conducted a survey of residents in the headwaters of Waller Creek. In order to interpret the survey results and provide recommendations to WPD, I applied the social science theory Diffusions of Innovations. Results of the survey indicate that the diffusion process of rain gardens and cisterns is in its early stages. Relatively few respondents had already adopted these green stormwater systems (GSI) at their residences and even fewer had familiarity with what constituted a rain garden. Despite this, there was a willingness by a majority of those surveyed to install GSI. The primary obstacles facing greater adoption expressed by residents are 1) cost 2) maintenance 3) help with installation. These practical barriers were also mirrored in people’s yard management: money, time, and knowledge were identified as the three primary reasons why respondents did not have their “ideal yard”. Currently, the majority of respondents do not manage yards that are eco-centric and instead prioritize convenience and keeping costs low. Notable distinctions were revealed between adopter categories (innovators, early adopters, late majority/laggards) however: innovators do value yards that are more eco-centric, ones that can provide a variety of ecosystem services. Additionally, innovators and early adopters had greater levels of education, were wealthier and younger. Diffusion of Innovation theory can provide a framework for the WPD to encourage the greater adoption of GSI. For example, tailoring these GSI to have greater “relative advantage” (i.e. by lessening yard management costs or maintenance needs) would encourage adoption. Reducing the “complexity” of these systems (either in how they are perceived or in terms of providing assistance in their installation, for example), will also help in this regard. To enable greater “compatibility” for GSI, in terms of cultural and social norms, could entail not only simplifying these systems but also promoting yard management practices that are more eco-centric. Finally, Diffusion of Innovation literature suggests that also providing more “trialability” and “observability” opportunities of rain gardens and cisterns will aid in their adoption.
Download or read book Stormwater Credit Trading an Innovative Strategy to Advance Green Infrastructure in Pittsburgh written by Matthew Briley and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Stormwater management has become a focal point for cities seeking to improve climate resilience, public health and safety, and urban water quality. While climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of severe wet weather events, many urban areas are dealing with more stormwater runoff and its associated problems such as flash flooding and combined sewer overflows. Implementing green infrastructure (GI) is a strategy used to address this problem by removing impervious surfaces in favor of soil and vegetative systems that absorb and filter runoff. GI and similar Best Management Practices (BMPs) lessen the impact of urban development on receiving water bodies while providing a myriad of social benefits to the surrounding communities. Increasingly, municipalities are looking for ways to encourage GI implementation on private properties for cost-efficient and holistic stormwater management. Stormwater credit trading is a new and innovative, market-based approach that leverages private capital for GI investment. In this system, the amount of runoff controlled on a property by GI or BMPs is quantified as a currency, or "credit", and traded between parties to mitigate or offset regulatory requirements. This type of trading scheme was spearheaded in Washington D.C. and is now being considered in many other cities throughout the United States. This thesis explores the potential for a stormwater credit trading system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The goal of this research is to provide local stakeholders with an introductory understanding of how such a program could be applied in Pittsburgh. A qualitative research methodology is used involving an analysis of case studies accompanied by semi-structured informational interviews with professionals knowledgeable about the subject matter. A thematic analysis of the interview results is presented through the lens of program goals and design, market administration, market participation, and community impact and involvement. The results indicate that a stormwater credit trading program has the potential to provide a cost-effective and equitable distribution of GI throughout the city. Further research is needed on the feasibility of a program including any legal issues, a cost-benefit analysis, and a supply and demand analysis given Pittsburgh's future development outlook. " -- Abstract
Download or read book Green Infrastructure and Issues in Managing Urban Stormwater written by Claudia Copeland and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report discusses the issue of stormwater, or runoff, which is considered largely a problem of excess rainwater or snowmelt impacting communities. Prevailing engineering practices were to move stormwater away from cities as rapidly as possible to avoid potential damages from flooding. More recently, these practices have evolved and come to recognize stormwater as a resource that, managed properly within communities, has multiple benefits.
Download or read book Managing Heavy Rainfall with Green Infrastructure written by Jordan R. Fischbach and published by . This book was released on 2021-01-15 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: RAND researchers estimate the potential benefits and costs of a green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) system in Pittsburgh's Negley Run watershed, evaluate a series of GSI investments, and make recommendations to improve urban stormwater management.
Download or read book Green Stormwater Infrastructure written by James Jolley and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 174 defines and discusses green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) management strategies, a relatively new approach to regulation compliance. As more airports are proactively incorporating sustainable practices in all aspects of their operations, federal and state regulatory agencies are also promoting GSI strategies to comply with water regulations and requirements. Volume 1: Primer is written for the airport manager, planner, and engineer seeking to understand stormwater management and how GSI can comply with regulatory standards and requirements along with other benefits. Volume 2: Guidebook assists airport staff with evaluating the applicability of a GSI strategy and how to select an appropriate GSI strategy.
Download or read book Using Plants for Stormwater Management written by Dana Nunez Brown and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2014-04-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The subtropical climate of the Gulf South supports a varied abundance of flora, and this diversity is sustained by the ample amount of rainwater that characterizes the region. Managing rainwater in a planned environment and mitigating its effect on human habitation can test the skills of even the most seasoned landscape architect or designer. That challenge has never been more acute as increased human demand for natural resources compels professionals and home gardeners alike to seek out sustainable ecological solutions. In this guidebook, Dana Nunez Brown details ways to manage each drop of rainwater where it falls, using a cost-effective and environmentally sensitive approach. Under natural conditions, rainfall primarily percolates into the ground and flows as groundwater until it is absorbed by trees and other vegetation, after which it is evaporated into the atmosphere and the cycle starts anew. Brown identifies plants and techniques that leverage this natural process in order to filter, clean, and slow runoff, a practice known as Low Impact Development. Using Plants for Stormwater Management presents the native ecological communities and plant species of the Gulf South in easy-to-follow sections and diagrams. Information ranging from the productiveness of root structures and the compatibility of plants with local soils to the optimal elevation of specific vegetation and the average dimensions of foliage is represented by graphic icons for quick and easy identification. An accessible and essential resource, this book gives both novices and experts the know-how to harness rainfall and create beautiful, ecologically functioning landscapes.
Download or read book The Blue Compendium written by Jane Lubchenco and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-05-24 with total page 921 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Home to over 80 percent of all life on Earth, the ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink and a key source of food and economic security for billions of people. The relevance of the ocean for humanity's future is undisputed. However, the ocean’s great potential to drive economic growth and equitable job creation, sustain healthy ecosystems, and mitigate climate change is not yet fully recognised. Lack of awareness of this potential as well as management and governance challenges pose impediments. Until these impediments are removed, ocean ecosystems will continue to be degraded and opportunities for people lost. A transition and a clear path to a thriving and vibrant relationship between humans and the ocean are urgently needed. This open access collection of papers and reports identifies a path that is inspired by science, energised by engaged people, and emboldened by visionary leaders. These assessments of knowledge are commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), which was established in September 2018 as a unique initiative led by heads of state and government from around the world, to showcase the latest leading-edge science, knowledge and state-of-the-art thinking on key ocean issues. Altogether, The Blue Compendium offers innovative ocean solutions in technology, policy, governance, and finance realms, that could help accelerate a transition to a more sustainable and prosperous relationship with the ocean. The comprehensive assessments have already informed policy making at the highest levels of government and motivated an impressive array of responsive and ambitious action across a growing network of leaders in business, finance and civil society.
Download or read book Sustainable Cities and Institutional Change written by Alexis Schulman and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is widely argued that a sustainable future depends on the capacity of cities to substantially alter how they grow and consume natural resources. Research on sustainable cities has typically emphasized how this change ought to be achieved, outlining specific interventions in the form of new policies and technologies. Problematically, we know far less about why urban institutions change, when they do, in the support of sustainability objectives. Why have some cities progressed in translating ideas about environmental sustainability into enduring institutional reforms while other similarly situated cities persist under the status quo? Over the past fifteen years, for example, sustainability advocates in the United States have touted green stormwater infrastructure (GSI)- a decentralized network of rainwater capture and infiltration systems-as a more sustainable and less costly alternative to building more and bigger underground pipes to control polluted urban runoff and sewer overflows, as required under the Clean Water Act. Yet the extent to which cities facing very similar municipal pollution problems adopt GSI varies widely. This dissertation seeks to account for the disparate adoption of, and investment in, this innovative, land-based practice through an in-depth investigation of four US cities: Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, and Washington, DC. Some observers characterize the development of sustainable urban infrastructure as contingent on the commitment of environmentally-minded local decision makers or a supportive, engaged public. In contrast, my research shows that cities that have invested most heavily in GSI have done so to achieve compliance with the stringent National Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Policy. Yet whether or not a city adopts GSI to control CSOs it is a function of three things: the structure of municipal water management and infrastructure, which I term the "legacy system;" the existence of an effective change agent or "policy entrepreneur" within the local water utility; and the acceptance of GSI as a legitimate control technology in the regulatory policy system at the time a city planned and implemented its CSO program. Based on my analysis, I provide recommendations for how innovative stormwater management technology and practices might be stimulated in varied municipal planning contexts.
Download or read book Design of Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Cold Climates written by Marcos Lucianus Kubow and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urbanization has led to increased impervious surface area in watersheds globally, contributing to increased stormwater discharge and nutrient loading to aquatic ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems like Lake Champlain have been negatively impacted by harmful algal blooms driven by excess phosphorus (P) loading. Additionally, salinization from chloride (Cl-) in road salts used in developed areas is a growing concern for freshwater ecosystems in cold climates. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is a best management practice (BMP) intended to mitigate increased runoff and nutrient loading. Many states require the incorporation of GSI in new development plans, but better guidance is needed for the materials used in GSI to achieve desired water quality goals. Two popular GSI types are subsurface gravel wetlands and bioretention cells; however, measured performance of these GSI types has been variable for P. In my first thesis chapter, I examine the effects of different materials on P and Cl- dynamics in subsurface gravel wetlands and the effects of Cl- on two wetland plant species. My results demonstrate that some materials being used in subsurface gravel wetlands may lead to increased soluble reactive P leaching, compromising water quality goals. Chloride data suggest no significant retention by gravel wetland substrates, and that plant sensitivity to field Cl- concentrations differs by species. In a second study, I tested several drinking water treatment residuals from EPA Region 1 for their P removal capacities in the context of bioretention cells. Results illustrate variable, but largely high P removal capacities, with arsenic leaching below the threshold of concern, providing additional evidence that these materials could broadly support enhanced P removal by bioretention systems.
Download or read book Public Perceptions Ecosystem Benefits and Sustainability written by Rui Wang and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban stormwater issues are a growing concern for our cities and communities. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has emerged as an innovative measure that is widely implemented to treat stormwater runoff in urban areas. In addition to the environmental advantages, GSI provides numerous social and cultural benefits to urban communities. These include improving the aesthetic value of the neighborhood, increasing urban green space, and offering educational and recreational opportunities. However, the public's perception of the benefits of GSI has not been adequately studied, which creates a challenge for using GSI as a stormwater management measure and a placemaking tool to enhance people's quality of life. Furthermore, the contribution of GSI development to urban sustainability, especially in urban deprived areas, is uncertain in many countries including China. This dissertation utilizes a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to address the above challenges in the context of Chinese sponge city development. It aims to answer the following questions: 1) what are the general perceptions of GSI and its benefit promotion by the public and experts? 2) What is the public's willingness to pay for GSI programs to obtain ecosystem benefits? 3) How do pilot GSI programs contribute to old urban neighborhood sustainable regeneration, and have the lessons learned from pilot projects been reflected in the latest regeneration policies? The study findings offer decision-makers a pathway to a more public-desired GSI benefit promotion plan. The willingness-to-pay results provide evidence for designing stormwater utility programs that are more likely to receive financial support from the public. Furthermore, the study evaluates the sustainable performance of sponge-transformed old neighborhoods and identifies areas for improvement in the current regeneration policy to move towards a more sustainable path. In conclusion, this study contributes to the assessment of the social impact of GSI development and provides insights into GSI planning and policy design that enhances urban ecosystem benefits and people's quality of life. Additionally, it provides insights into necessary improvements in current policies and implementation of old urban neighborhood sustainable regeneration.
Download or read book Hearing to Review the Definition of the Waters of the United States Proposed Rule and the Impact on Rural America written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Agriculture. Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
