Abstract
Stormwater control measures (SCMs) are a key component of watershed health in urbanized areas. SCMs are used to increase infiltration and reduce discharge to streams or storm sewer systems during rain events. Monitoring is important for the evaluation of design and causes of failure in SCMs. However, the expense of monitoring means it is not always included in stormwater control planning. This study shows how low-cost water level loggers can be used to answer certain questions about SCM performance. Five case studies are presented that use water level loggers to evaluate the overflow of basins, compare a traditional stormpipe trench with an infiltration trench, monitor timing of blue roof storage, show the effects of retrofitting a basin, and provide long term performance data. Water level loggers can be used to answer questions about the timing and location of stormwater overflows, which helps to evaluate the effectiveness of SCMs. More expensive monitoring and modeling can be used as a follow up if needed to more thoroughly assess a site. Nonetheless, low-cost monitoring can be a first step in identifying sites that need improvement or additional monitoring.
Highlights
Controlling stormwater runoff is critical to watershed health
Monitoring was conducted with water level loggers to answer questions about the effectiveness of various stormwater control measures (SCMs)
Low-cost monitoring is suggested to provide a level of assessment that supplements observations and anecdotal evidence of SCM functioning
Summary
Controlling stormwater runoff is critical to watershed health. Increased infiltration can help to reduce both the volume of water and contaminant loads that threaten streams due to increased impervious surface area [1]. As urban centers expand or renovate, sustainable design typically depends on including stormwater controls to infiltrate water more efficiently in less space than natural systems [2]. A variety of stormwater control measures (SCMs) are used to increase infiltration during rain events and reduce discharge to streams or storm sewer systems [2,3]. Some basins include wetland plants to help retain water and some are dry between storms, while many have mowed grass. These basins vary in size, depending on the intended capture area; for example, a survey of 100 basins in the Valley Creek Watershed outside
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