Outfall Pipe Research Articles

Eavesdropping on wastewater pollution: Detecting discharge events from river outfalls via fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing

Wastewater discharge from outfall pipes can significantly impact river water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Effective outfall monitoring is critical for controlling pollution and protecting public health. This study demonstrates a novel distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) approach for detecting wastewater discharge events from outfall pipes located along rivers. Controlled field experiments were conducted in an industrial park river to systematically evaluate DAS performance. DAS detects vibrational signals imparted to suspended fiber-optic cables by turbulent wastewater flows, predominantly within 10–30 Hz, enabling continuous monitoring along entire river lengths. Vibrational power analysis locates outfalls with meter-level accuracy, while time–frequency techniques discern discharge timing and characteristics. Cable type and outfall–fiber separation influence on detection capability was assessed. Thermoplastic-jacketed tight buffer cables optimized detection through enhanced vibrational coupling. Vibrational energy decreased exponentially with separation, highlighting benefits of proximal deployment for sensitivity. However, detection range scales with discharge flow rate. Frequency centroid proved a robust feature with potential for automated discharge identification. Overall, DAS enables high spatiotemporal resolution monitoring to pinpoint concealed outfalls minimally invasively. This positions DAS as a promising tool supporting improved water governance through early pollution warnings and rapid source localization via outfall vibrational signatures emanating across river networks.

Potential for Conduit Hydropower at NYC's Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

The Newtown Creek facility is New York City's largest wastewater treatment plant, with the capacity to treat up to 2.65 billion liters of combined sewage (rainfall and raw sewage) each day. After treatment at the plant, clean water flows out to the nearby East River via an outfall pipe. On average, the plant treats 810 million liters of combined sewage per day, which means there is potential to extract significant amounts of energy from the water flowing through the outfall. This paper first verifies that hydropower is a viable option at the plant by calculating the theoretical amount of power available from the running water, then determines what type of turbine would be the most appropriate for the outfall, and finally calculates how much electricity could realistically be generated by a turbine in the outfall. The bulb turbine was identified as the most appropriate type of turbine, and it was approximated that a bulb turbine in the outfall could produce, on average, 263 kilowatts of power. Considering that the plant runs year-round, a total of 2.24 gigawatt hours of clean electricity could be generated annually, which could be used to help power the energy-intensive wastewater treatment process or be fed back into New York City's electrical grid, where it could power up to 211 homes annually.

Environmental concentrations, characteristics and risk assessment of microplastics in water and sediment along the Western Cape coastline, South Africa

Plastic debris is accumulating in all environments globally and South Africa’s poor waste management plan has led to an increase in plastic contamination throughout the country. Information about microplastics (MPs) in urban and rural coastal environments in South Africa is poor. The aim of this study was to determine coastal MP concentrations in water (particles/L) and sediment (particles/kg). Sampling took place in summer of 2020 during low tide at 14 sites, along the coast of the Western Cape, South Africa. MPs were extracted and analysed based on shape, color, size and polymer type (using an ATR-FTIR). An ecological risk assessment was done to assess the potential risks posed by MPs in all sample types. Sediment MP concentrations (185.07 ± 15.25 standard error particles/kg) were higher than water (1.33 ± 0.15 particles/L). Gordon’s Bay (site 12) had the highest MP concentrations in sediment samples (360 ± 36.74 particles/kg), identifying harbors as the main source for MP contamination. Kalk Bay (site 9) displayed the highest concentration in water samples (4.97 ± 0.18 particles/L), suggesting that the source of MPs are from stormwater outfall pipes and human activities. Filaments were the most dominant MP shape (89%) for all samples, with black/grey (water) and transparent (sediment) being the most dominant colors (31% and 31% respectively). Dominant sizes were 1000–2000 μm in water and 2000–5000 μm in sediment. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (29%) was the most dominant polymer type recorded in water samples and natural fibres (mainly cotton) (32%) recorded in sediment. Based on the risk assessment, MPs recorded at Mouille Point (site 6) poses the greatest ecological risk associated with polymers. MP concentrations reported in this study provide a baseline for future studies along the Western Cape coastline of South Africa.

Concentrations and risk assessment of metals and microplastics from antifouling paint particles in the coastal sediment of a marina in Simon's Town, South Africa.

Maintenance of maritime vessels includes the removal of paint from hulls that are sources of metals, antifouling paint particles (APPs) and microplastics (MPs) that end up in the coastal environment. Simon's Town is a small urban town in False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, where maritime activities take place (there is a naval harbour, marina and shipyard). The aim of this study was to measure metals, APPs and MPs in Simon's Town, to assess the impact of maritime activities and a storm water pipe in a sheltered marina. Sediment samples were collected from six sites during winter 2018. Sediment and extracted APPs were analysed for metal concentrations (Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sb, Sn, Sr, V and Zn) and MPs characterised based on type (shape and polymer), colour and size. Highest average metal concentrations in sediment for all sites were Fe (32228 ± SEM 4024), Al (12271 ± 1062) and Cu (1129 ± 407). Metals in paint particles were highest for Fe (80873 ± 19341), Cu (66762 ± 13082) and Zn (44910 ± 1400µg/g). Metal and MP fragment concentrations were highest at the slipway of the shipyard, decreasing with increased distance from the slipway. MP filaments were highest close to the storm water outfall pipe. Our results suggest that shipyards are potential sources of metals and MP fragments (mainly APPs), with storm water pipes potential sources of MP filaments. Various indices applied to assess the potential impacts of metals and MPs suggest that these contaminants have the potential to adversely impact the intertidal ecosystem investigated.

Investigation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) drinking bottles as marine reservoirs for fecal bacteria and phytoplankton

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is frequently used in the food and beverage industry and therefore contributes greatly to plastic marine debris. The fecal pollution indicator bacteria Enterococcus is used for marine water contamination assessments and is regularly found in storm water discharge. In order to examine if PET drinking bottles act as refuges for Enterococcus, a study was conducted within euhaline tidal waters of Wrightsville Beach, NC, USA via the deployment of bottle floats positioned nearby two stormwater outfall pipes. Bottles were retrieved weekly to assess the accumulation of fecal bacteria and phytoplankton. Each bottle was analyzed for the presence of Enterococcus on plastic surfaces and within water inside the bottle. Abundance of Enterococcus and planktonic chlorophyll α was found to be significantly greater in association with PET bottles versus the surrounding waters. Bottles were observed to act as reservoirs for both Enterococcus and phytoplankton with concentrations well above the state, federal, and WHO standards.

Mixing characteristics of 45° inclined duckbill dense jets in co-flowing currents

The use of duckbill valves in submerged outfalls for dense effluents is now prevalent to prevent the intrusion of ambient water into the outfall pipe during periods of low production of the facility. In the present study, an experimental investigation was conducted using the technique of Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) to examine the mixing characteristics of 45° inclined dense jets from a duckbill shape nozzle in co-flowing currents. The measured characteristics included the jet trajectory, concentration decay, centreline peak dilution and cross-sectional concentration distribution. The Froude number ranged from 10 to 25, and the nominal Froude number from 0.2 to 3.0. Two mounting orientations of the duckbill nozzle, namely vertical and horizontal, were also investigated. The experimental results showed that two regimes, namely dense-jet- and co-flow-dominated, can be clearly observed. When the co-flow velocity increases, the centreline peak height and dilution of the inclined dense jet decrease. Comparing to the available results in the literature for inclined circular dense jets, the centreline peak dilution for inclined duckbill dense jets is generally higher. In other words, the installation of the duckbill valve also contributes to the mixing of the dense effluent with surrounding ambient waters, in addition to preventing the ambient intrusion. With respect to the mounting orientation, the horizontal induces a relatively higher dilution but also a larger centreline peak height. Thus, the horizontal orientation would be preferable when the cover water depth is sufficient, while the vertical orientation can be considered in shallow waters for full submergence.

Successful mitigation of stormwater-driven nutrient, fecal bacteria and suspended solids loading in a recreational beach community

Marine and estuarine waterways adjacent to urban areas are often the final recipient of polluted stormwater runoff. Microbial degradation of coastal water quality is a direct threat to human health through fecal contamination of bathing waters and shellfish, as well as distressing local economies through the loss of waterways to commercial (shellfishing) and recreational use. In coastal waters reduction of nitrogen loading is a key strategy for prevention of noxious and toxic algal blooms. Best management practices (BMPs) can be successful tools for mitigating such pollutants in runoff, but BMPs must be tailored to individual situations for maximum effectiveness. This study examines the efficacy of a set of BMPs installed in the coastal resort Town of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, USA. The BMPs targeted the highly-impervious (90%+) drainage area of two stormwater outfall pipes emptying into recreationally used Banks Channel. Mitigation measures included replacement of impervious pavement with pervious concrete and construction of an infiltration chamber in the parking lot of a local recreational seaside club. Significant reductions were achieved in total stormwater discharge (62%), as well as loading of the fecal indicator bacteria Enterococcus (76%) and total nitrogen (TN – 87% decrease). Additionally, there were reductions in loading of total phosphorous (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS) to estuarine waters following BMP installment. The set of BMPs applied here have wide management applicability to coastal ecosystems, as well as freshwater riparian areas characterized by sandy, porous soils.

Antibiotic Resistance in Marine Microbial Communities Proximal to a Florida Sewage Outfall System.

Water samples were collected at several wastewater treatment plants in southeast Florida, and water and sediment samples were collected along and around one outfall pipe, as well as along several transects extending both north and south of the respective outfall outlet. Two sets of samples were collected to address potential seasonal differences, including 38 in the wet season (June 2018) and 42 in the dry season (March 2019). Samples were screened for the presence/absence of 15 select antibiotic resistance gene targets using the polymerase chain reaction. A contrast between seasons was found, with a higher frequency of detections occurring in the wet season and fewer during the dry season. These data illustrate an anthropogenic influence on offshore microbial genetics and seasonal flux regarding associated health risks to recreational users and the regional ecosystem.

Mathematical Models for Calculation of Mixing Zones for Coastal Effluent Discharges

The potential long-term environmental impacts of coastal effluent discharges can be addressed and regulated using a mixing zone concept to control and manage the mixing capacity of the receiving coastal waters. The standard regulatory guidelines consist of two key elements: a concentration limit and a point of compliance expressed as a radius centered at the end of the outfall pipe. Modeling studies of the effect of seabed depth upon dispersion of coastal effluent discharges into the sea in the far-field are investigated analytically using the solutions of two-dimensional advection-diffusion equations with a point source on the simple depth profiles of a flat seabed and a uniformly sloping seabed. Solutions are then illustrated graphically by plotting contours of concentration, showing that the effluent discharged plumes are spreading downstream and heading towards the shoreline. Based on the location of maximum value of concentration at the shoreline, the imposed radius of and limit of concentration level within the circular mixing zone are formulated to be used as a measure for assessing the impact of effluent discharges in the coastal environment. The results found agreed with the mixing zones implemented in practice as the environmental quality standards by the regulatory authorities to minimize the impact. As the sea outfall's long pipeline may go beyond the continental shelf, a sudden step change in the seabed depth profiles is introduced, where the solutions of the advection-diffusion equations are obtained using the method of images. An extended formulation of the mixing zones radius and concentration limit are also presented.

Response of a marine benthic invertebrate community and biotic indices to organic enrichment from sewage disposal

AbstractNutrient enrichment is a significant cause of ecosystem change in coastal habitats worldwide. This study focuses on the change in a benthic macroinvertebrate community and environmental quality as assessed through different biotic indices following the construction of a sewage outfall pipe in the west of Scotland, from first implementation to seven years after operation of the pipe. Benthic macroinvertebrates are an important part of marine ecosystems because they mediate ecosystem processes and functions, are a key part of food webs and they provide many ecosystem services. Results indicated a clear change in benthic communities over time with an increase in species richness and changes to benthic community composition (specifically feeding type, bioturbation mode and ecological group) towards those indicative of organic enrichment. No clear spatial zonation was observed because organic carbon content increased over the entire area. According to a suite of benthic indices calculated, some negative changes were detectable following the start of sewage disposal, but largely negative community changes, and a change from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ quality, only occurred seven years after implementation. The increase in species richness in response to increasing disturbance reduced the utility of a multi-metric index, the Infaunal Quality Index, which, instead of amplifying the signal of negative impact, dampened it. We suggest that any change in communities, regardless of direction, should be heeded, and species richness is a particularly sensitive and early warning indicator for this, but a suite of approaches is required to understand benthic community changes.

The residency, movement patterns and habitat association of several demersal fish species to the Orange County Sanitation District wastewater outfall

Abstract Wastewater outfall pipes are structures that may attract marine fishes, yet previous studies that address the risks of exposure to wastewater effluent rarely account for the movements of the species studied. This study used acoustic telemetry to quantify the movement patterns and habitat association of demersal species (Citharichthys sordidus, Pleuronichthys verticalis, Parophrys vetulus, Sebastes miniatus) at two sites (near a wastewater outfall and at a reference site) in southern California over one year. Residencies to both sites were low for pleuronectiform fishes (C. sordidus, P. verticalis, P. vetulus, less than 10% of the study duration was spent in either site), which indicates that tissue samples from these species likely reflect the accumulation of contaminants across individuals’ ranges, not just the outfall site. Alternatively, S. miniatus showed higher degrees of residency to the outfall site (nearly 40% of the study duration) and may be the most susceptible to wastewater effluent effects.

Bacterial and fungal endophyte communities differ in trees of natural versus wastewater-treatment wetlands

Little is known about the microbiota that form symbioses with wetland plants. We describe how endophytes from leaves and roots of baldcypress trees changed along a nutrient gradient and differed in wastewater treated versus untreated wetlands. Cultured bacterial and fungal endophytes were most abundant and diverse in baldcypress roots (compared to leaves) for both treated and untreated wetlands. Bacterial endophyte abundance increased with increasing distance from the wastewater outfall pipe, while fungal endophytes decreased with increasing distance from the wastewater outfall pipe—showing a greater abundance of fungi where nutrients were greatest. Bacterial endophyte abundance and species richness were greater in the wastewater-treatment compared to untreated wetlands, but diversity metrics suggested this was due to incomplete sampling at some sites. Community composition of endophytes in the treated wetland differed from some but not all of the communities observed in untreated wetlands. Since baldcypress is a key restoration species for declining swamps in the southeastern US, our descriptive work provides a foundation for future studies to understand the functional roles of plant-microbial interactions and community patterns.

Unpacking storm damages on a developed shoreline: Relating dune erosion and urban runoff

Hurricane Matthew (2016) caused significant beach and dune erosion from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA, to Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. At Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the storm caused beach recession, and much of the southern half of the city’s beaches appeared to be overwashed in post-storm surveys. Around half of the city’s beaches appeared overwashed following the storm; however, the Storm Impact Scale (SIS; Sallenger 2000) applied to a pre-storm elevation model suggests less than 10% of the city’s beaches should have experienced overwash. Spatial analysis of elevation and land cover data reveals dunes that were “overwashed” during Matthew drain from watersheds that are >35% impervious, where those showing only dune recession are <5% impervious. The densely developed downtown of Myrtle Beach sits on a low seaward-sloping terrace. Additionally, indurated strata beneath the downtown area can prevent groundwater from draining during excessive rain events. As a result, the most continuous impervious surface cover and near-surface strata lie within a half-kilometer of the beach and drain directly to the backshore. Along the U.S. Southeast coast, this is somewhat rare; many coastal systems feature a lagoon or low-lying bottomland along their landward border, which facilitates drainage of upland impervious surfaces following storm passage. At Myrtle Beach, all of the stormwater runoff is drained directly to the beach through a series of outfall pipes. Many of the outfall pipes are located along the backshore, near the elevation of storm surge during Matthew. Runoff from Matthew’s heavy rains was observed causing ponding on the landward side of the foredune and scouring around beach access walkways. Based on these observations, the severe dune erosion experienced near downtown Myrtle Beach during Hurricane Matthew may have been caused by runoff and/or groundwater flux rather than overwash. These results highlight an unexpected relationship between upland conditions and dune erosion on a developed shoreline. That is, dune erosion can be caused by mechanisms beside overwash during storm events.

A VORTEX DROP STRUCTURE AS DEAERATION SYSTEM FOR A SUBMARINE OUTFALL PIPELINE

Use of submarine outfall pipelines became more common since World Bank Group issued a new guideline for maximum emissions levels for thermal power plants in 1998 (van Dijk, 2005). The more restrictive levels for temperature increase at the receiving water, requires outfall systems to conduct the water down to greater depths to achieve the required dilution standard. However, air entrainment control into outfall pipes could be challenging, especially for discharges with high flowrates for which conventional deaeration chambers become too large. The problem could turn more difficult in coastal shelf areas at seismic zones, where the hydraulic height of the incoming flow must be effectively controlled and the design not only has to pursue hydraulic objectives but also stability requirements for these massive structures subjected to relevant seismic thrusts. A vortex drop structure was designed for the cooling water discharge system of a thermal power plant in Mejillones Bay, Chile. The structure addresses the elevation difference between the return flow pipe and the ocean outfall pipelines while adhering to the spatial restrictions at the project site. Energy dissipation as well as limitation of air entrainment into the outfall pipelines were critical design considerations. Tests where done on a 1:12.5 scale (Froude) physical model. Prototype structure is under construction. Operation is planned to start on mid-2018.

Application of Landsat 8 for Monitoring Impacts of Wastewater Discharge on Coastal Water Quality

In this study, we examine the capabilities of the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), and Aqua Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for monitoring the environmental impact of the 2015 Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) wastewater diversion in Santa Monica Bay, California. From 21 September – 2 November 2015, the HTP discharged approximately 39×103 m3 h-1 of treated wastewater into Santa Monica Bay through their emergency 1-mile outfall pipe. Multi-sensor satellite remote sensing was employed to determine the biophysical impact of discharged wastewater in the shallow nearshore environment. Landsat 8 TIRS observed decreased sea surface temperatures (SST) associated with the surfacing wastewater plume. Chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations derived from Landsat 8 OLI and Aqua MODIS satellite sensors were used to monitor the biological response to the addition of nutrient-rich wastewater. In situ chl-a and in situ remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) were measured before, during, and after the diversion event. These in situ data were paired with coincident OLI and MODIS satellite data to yield a more comprehensive view of the changing conditions in Santa Monica Bay due to the wastewater diversion. Two new local chl-a algorithms were empirically derived using in situ data for the OLI and MODIS sensors. These new local chl-a algorithms proved more accurate at measuring chl-a changes in Santa Monica Bay compared to the standard open ocean OC2 and OC3M algorithms, and the regional southern California CALFIT algorithm, as validated by in situ chl-a measurements. Additionally, the local OLI algorithm outperformed the local MODIS algorithm, especially in the nearshore region. A time series of chl-a, as detected by the local OLI chl-a algorithm, illustrated a very large increase in chl-a concentrations during the wastewater diversion, and a subsequent decrease in chl-a after the diversion. Our study demonstrates the capability of using Landsat 8 TIRS and OLI sensors for the monitoring of SST and surface chl-a concentrations at high spatial resolution in nearshore waters and highlights the value of these sensors for assessing the environmental effects of wastewater discharge in a coastal environment.

EOF analysis of shoreline and beach slope variability at a feeder beach constructed within a groin field at Long Branch, New Jersey

The morphologic evolution of a beach nourishment project constructed in Long Branch, New Jersey, USA is investigated using the method of empirical orthogonal functions (EOF). Most applications of EOFs on beach fill projects have focused on traditional linear fills on relatively long, straight, uninterrupted coastlines. The Long Branch project was unique in that it was designed as a feeder beach and was constructed within a groin field. The method of EOF analysis is applied to help identify patterns representing distinct physical processes in data sets of shoreline position and shoreline slope at the site. The first three modes, determined from the shoreline position data set, explain more than 90% of the variation from the mean shoreline. The first and third modes represent variations of the fill's spreading as material moved to the north in the direction of the net littoral drift. Several shore-perpendicular structures interrupt the longshore transport and regulate the spreading. One of these structures is a large outfall pipe that was identified during the beach profile surveys to have a dominant influence over the shoreline evolution. The second mode identified in the shoreline data set is related to seasonal or storm impacts, and represents the transition between a reflective summer condition and a dissipative winter state. Several of the modes derived from the beach slope data set, represent processes similar to those identified in the shoreline data set. The first mode explains 43.1% of the variation in the beach slope data, and represents the seasonal transition between reflective and dissipative beach states. The second mode represents the equilibration of slopes within the beach fill and the initial spreading of the fill. Derivatives of the temporal coefficients of both the shoreline and beach slope data sets are consistent with a reduction in the rate of changes as equilibrium is approached, and an acceleration of changes during storms.

New insights into impacts of anthropogenic nutrients on urban ecosystem processes on the Southern California coastal shelf: Introduction and synthesis

Anthropogenic nutrient inputs are one of the most important factors contributing to eutrophication of coastal waters. Coastal upwelling regions are naturally highly variable, exhibiting faster flushing and lower retention times than estuarine systems. As such, these regions are considered more resilient to anthropogenic influences than other coastal waters. Recent studies have shown our perception of the sustainability of these systems may be flawed and that anthropogenic nutrients can have an impact at local and regional spatial scales within these larger upwelling ecosystems. Maintenance of an outfall pipe discharging wastewater effluent to the Southern California Bight (SCB) provided an opportunity to study effects of anthropogenic nutrient inputs on a near-shore coastal ecosystem. The diversion of wastewater effluent from a primary, offshore outfall to a secondary, near-shore outfall set up a large-scale, in situ experiment allowing researchers to track the fate of wastewater plumes as they were “turned off” in one area and “turned on” in another. In this introduction to a special issue, we synthesize results of one such wastewater diversion conducted by the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) during fall 2012. Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) from point-source discharges altered biogeochemical cycling and the community composition of bacteria and phytoplankton. Nitrification of ammonium to nitrate in wastewater effluent close to outfalls constituted a significant source of N utilized by the biological community that should be considered in quantifying “new” production. The microbial-loop component of the plankton community played a significant role, exemplified by a large response of heterotrophic bacteria to wastewater effluent that resulted in nutrient immobilization within the bacterial food web. This response, combined with the photosynthetic inhibition of phytoplankton due to disinfection byproducts, suppressed phytoplankton responses. Our findings have ramifications for future studies and regulatory monitoring, emphasizing the need to consider chemical and biological responses to wastewater effluent in assessing effects of anthropogenic nutrient inputs on urbanized coastal ecosystems.

Rapid nitrification of wastewater ammonium near coastal ocean outfalls, Southern California, USA

In the southern California Bight (SCB), there has been a longstanding hypothesis that anthropogenic nutrient loading is insignificant compared to the nutrient loading from upwelling. However, recent studies have demonstrated that, in the nearshore environment, nitrogen (N) flux from wastewater effluent is equivalent to the N flux from upwelling. The composition of the N pool and N:P ratios of wastewater and upwelled water are very different and the environmental effects of wastewater discharges on coastal systems are not well characterized. Capitalizing on routine maintenance of the Orange County Sanitation District’s ocean outfall, wherein a wastewater point source was “turned off” in one area and “turned on” in another for 23 days, we were able to document changes in coastal N cycling, specifically nitrification, related to wastewater effluent. A “hotspot” of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrite (NO2−) occurred over the ocean outfall under normal operations and nitrification rates were significantly higher offshore when the deeper outfall pipe was operating. These rates were sufficiently high to transform all effluent NH4+ to nitrate (NO3−). The dual isotopic composition of dissolved NO3− (δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3) indicated that N-assimilation and denitrification were low relative to nitrification, consistent with the relatively low chlorophyll and high dissolved oxygen levels in the region during the study. The isotopic composition of suspended particulate organic matter (POM) recorded low δ15NPN and δ13CPN values around the outfall under normal operations suggesting the incorporation of “nitrified” NO3− and wastewater dissolved organic carbon into POM. Our results demonstrate the critical role of nitrification in nitrogen cycling in the nearshore environment of urban oceans.

Green Infrastructure for Highway Stormwater Management: Field Investigation for Future Design, Maintenance, and Management Needs

Many types of structural stormwater best management practice (BMP) have been employed since the late 1990s in the hope of mitigating the impervious surface hydrology (indicated by, e.g., high runoff volume and peak flow rates, sewer and ditch runoff conveyance, and short time to peak flow) and deteriorating water quality due to land development and human activities. It is time to examine the status of the BMP deployment from an infrastructure perspective and reflect the best strategies for low-impact development (LID). This paper presents a 22-month field investigation for 279 structural BMPs and 227 major outfalls (defined as storm drain outfall pipes with an equivalent diameter of 91 cm or larger) along highways in Prince George’s County, Maryland, an area that has LID BMP research and employment history for decades. This study offers a snapshot about the state and effectiveness of structural BMPs in mitigating highway runoff in this region. The results indicate that the majority of structural BMPs deployed along the regional highway system are infiltration trenches and stormwater ponds, both of which need extensive maintenance. Due to safety concerns for traveling vehicles, fast runoff conveyance and end-of-pipe treatment are sometimes required in highway systems, prompting challenges for the LID designs. Stormwater discharged from 51% of the major outfalls is not treated, indicating strong demands for stormwater green infrastructure expansion and retrofit. This paper identifies general problems and maintenance needs of different highway structural BMP designs as well as providing recommendations for improvement to engineers and highway administrators.

Modeling brine discharge dispersion from two adjacent desalination outfalls in coastal waters

A far field mathematical model for two brine outfall discharges that incorporates the effect of an oscillating tidal current is used to study the merging and interaction of two brine plumes in coastal waters. The maximum compounded shoreline concentration is formulated and used as a measure for assessing the long term salinity build-up of brine discharges into the sea. It is found that the modern engineering practice which installs a two-port diffuser at the end of the outfall pipe does produce less potential environmental impact.