 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Research
For a description of more recent projects, please review our Runoff Rundown, the Center's quarterly newsletters for the latest info on projects.
Municipal Database Critical industrial
stormwater runoff data will be collected from existing NPDES permit applications
and permit monitoring reports from across the country and developed into
a database. The Center will analyze this data to help identify industrial
sectors that are "hotspots" for stormwater pollution. |
Stormwater Research The Center will
help Tetra Tech meet administrative requirements to the Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Science and Technology by identifying additional
approaches for determining/estimating environmental benefits for the Construction
& Development effluent guidelines project. |
|
Illicit Discharges In 2001, the Center
for Watershed Protection and Dr. Robert Pitt from the University of Alabama
obtained a multi-year grant from US EPA to research the most cost-effective
techniques to identify and correct illicit discharges, and write a manual
geared toward NPDES Phase II communities. The purpose of the manual is
to provide communities with technical information and guidance on implementing
an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) program. The manual
will include information on the following range of activities and program
features: establishing adequate legal authority; developing accurate mapping
resources; conducting detailed in-stream reconnaissance investigations;
using new analytical methodologies to indicate the presence of tracer
parameters; tracking down, correcting and preventing illicit discharges;
educating and cross-training municipal employees and the general public;
and estimating costs to run a program and conduct specific investigations.
Guidance Manual can be downloaded here. Completed by: December 2003 |
Impact of Construction Sites on Stream Biology
Very little research has been done to link construction sites with changes
in downstream ecosystems. The Center conducted field research in Howard
County to examine how construction sites influence the aquatic insects
in streams. Completed: December 2001 Staff Contact: P. Sturm |
|
Watershed Treatment Model In 2000,
the Center completed its watershed treatment model, which helps watershed
managers determine how various watershed practices can improve water quality.
In 2001 the Center applied the model to real watersheds to further test
and demonstrate its applicability. The
Watershed Treatment Model is available in our online store. Completed: July 2001 |
Septic System Literature Search Septic
systems are a often neglected threat in coastal and lake watersheds where
nutrients are a concern. The Center developed a literature synthesis on
the impacts of septic systems on water quality, and reviewed how septic
systems are an incentive for sprawl forms of development. Completed: September 2000 Staff Contact: C. Swann |
|
Urban Stream Restoration Research We
assessed the performance of more than 20 stream restoration projects in
the mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions, examining a wide variety of bank
stabilization techniques, instream habitat devices, planting methods and
other techniques at projects that were generally five years old or older. |
Impervious Cover Study To better understand
the relationship between land use and impervious cover, we worked with
four communities to derive more accurate land-use impervious cover relationships
by sampling their existing GIS systems. We were able to produce more accurate
numbers for a wider range of zoning categories and development patterns
within the Chesapeake Bay. Completed: January 2001 Staff Contact: K. Cappiella |
| Evaluation
of NPDES Phase 1 Municipal Stormwater Monitoring Data The University
of Alabama and the Center for Watershed Protection were awarded an EPA
Office of Water 104(b)3 grant in 2001 to collect and evaluate stormwater
data from a representative number of NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System) MS4 (municipal separate storm sewer system) municipal
stormwater permit holders. The data are being collected and reviewed to
both statistically describe the characteristics of this data and to provide
guidance to permit writers for future sampling needs. |
National
Pollutant Removal Performance Database - 2nd Edition. This
comprehensive report contains summaries of more than 135 urban pollutant
removal monitoring studies. The document includes a statistical and graphical
comparison of removal rates for six groups of stormwater management practices:
ponds, wetlands, open channels, filters, infiltration and on-site devices.
In addition, key research gaps in terms of parameters and practices are
identified. Completed: 2002 |
|
|