2019 journal article
Hydrologic and water quality performance of two aging and unmaintained dry detention basins receiving highway stormwater runoff
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, 255.
author keywords: Highway; Stormwater; Dry detention basin; Maintenance; Non-point source pollution; Carbon sequestration
MeSH headings : Environmental Monitoring; Hydrology; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Rain; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Quality
TL;DR:
Evidence is provided that overgrown and unmaintained dry detention basins can reduce pollutant concentrations comparable to those reported for maintained DDBs, while reducing more volume than standard D DBs.
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UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
2. Zero Hunger
(Web of Science)
3. Good Health and Well-being
(Web of Science)
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
(Web of Science)
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
(Web of Science)
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
(Web of Science)
13. Climate Action
(Web of Science)
14. Life Below Water
(Web of Science)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: April 6, 2020
Dry detention basins (DDBs) are a type of stormwater control measure (SCM) designed to provide flood storage, peak discharge reduction, and some water quality improvement through sedimentation. DDBs are ubiquitous in the urban environment, but are expensive to maintain. In this study, two overgrown DDBs near Raleigh, NC, receiving highway runoff were monitored for up to one year to quantify their water quality and hydrologic performance. Both basins, B1 and B2, have not received vegetation maintenance since construction in 2007. Flow-weighted composite samples were collected during storm events and analyzed for nutrients (Total Phosphorus (TP), Ortho-phosphorus (OP), Ammonia-N (NH 3 ), NO 2-3 -N (NO X ), and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN)), total suspended solids (TSS), and total Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. An annual water balance was also conducted to quantify runoff volume reduction. Despite low influent concentrations from the highway, significant removal efficiencies were found for all constituents except NH 3 in B1. TP, OP, NO X , TSS, and Zn were reduced in B2. Both basins achieved greater than 41% volume reduction through soil infiltration and evapotranspiration, resulting in significant pollutant load reductions for all detected constituents, between 59% and 79% in B1 and 35% and 81% in B2. This study provides evidence that overgrown and unmaintained DDBs can reduce pollutant concentrations comparable to those reported for maintained DDBs, while reducing more volume than standard DDBs. Moreover, carbon sequestration likely increases while maintenance costs decrease.