Ecological Concerns of Regional vs. On-site Facilities

Spingarn, Arthur L.; ,

Ecological Concerns of Regional vs. On-site Facilities

by Arthur L. Spingarn, U. S. Environmental Protection, Agency, Philadelphia, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering Hydrology

Abstract:

New federal stormwater regulations are ushering in a second generation of stormwater BMP's. Traditionally designed to achieve quantity control, BMP's are now being evaluated for their water quality performance as well. Existing on-site BMP's vary widely in their water quality control functions. Large, in-stream regional ponds offer advantages of greater volume capacity and more centralized maintenance and management. However, regional ponds pose a number of problems. They flood upstream wetlands, alter flow regimes, raise stream temperatures, disrupt stream fauna, and pose long-term impacts from sediment, nutrient, bacterial, heavy metal, and hydrocarbon loadings. A cooperative, interagency research and demonstration project in Prince William County, Virginia is seeking to address these issues from a watershed perspective. Goals of the project include assessing the effectiveness of a variety of on-site, regional, and non-structural BMP's, developing performance measures, and implementing a watershed-based stormwater management plan. Innovative approaches such as multiple pond designs and constructed wetlands will be explored.

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