Predicting stormwater nitrogen loads from a cold-region urban catchment in year 2050 under the impacts of climate change and urban densification

Abstract

Urban stormwater is a primary source of pollution for receiving water, but there is a shortage of studies on pollutant loads from urban catchments in cold regions. In this study, we coupled a build-up and wash-off model (in Mike Urban) with a climate change model to assess the impacts of climate change and urban densification on stormwater nitrogen loads (TN, TKN, NOx-N, and TAN) in an urban catchment in Canada. We calibrated and validated the Mike Urban model against observed event mean concentrations and nitrogen loads from 2010 to 2016. Results show that the nitrogen loads were mainly governed by rainfall intensity, rainfall duration, and antecedent dry days. Future precipitation data were downscaled using the Global Climate Models (GCMs), and three different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 2.5, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5) were used. Modeling results show that the TN, TKN, NOx-N, and TAN loads in 2050 will increase by 28.5 - 45.2% from May to September under RCP 2.5 compared to those from 2010 to 2016, by 34.6 - 49.9% under RCP 4.5, and by 39.4 - 53.5% under RCP 8.5. The increase of our projected TN load (from 1.33 to 2.93 kg·N/ha) is similar or slightly higher than the limited studies in other urban catchments. This study provides a reference for predicting stormwater nitrogen loads in urban catchments in cold regions.