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A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO MANAGING STORMWATER RUNOFF IN AN URBAN WATERSHED
Citation:
Mayer*,A.L., A., W. Shuster**, AND H. W. Thurston*. A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO MANAGING STORMWATER RUNOFF IN AN URBAN WATERSHED. Presented at 19th annual symposium of the US regional association of the International Society of Landscape Ecologists, Las Vegas, NV, March 31 - April 03, 2004.
Description:
Increased impervious surface (e.g., roofs, pavement) due to urbanization can lead to excess runoff throughout a watershed, overwhelming the existing stormwater infrastructure. High volumes of runoff, delivered to receiving streams over short durations at high flow rates, negatively impact stream channels and their biological communities. At present, the local governments in Hamilton County, Ohio require detention ponds to be built for new developments and new connections to sewer lines. However, impervious surface is left unmitigated in older communities, where imposing requirements to install detention ponds could be seen as an unconstitutional taking of property. Using economic incentives to involve stakeholders in stormwater abatement may be a more legally sound and socially acceptable approach to increasing the retention capacity of the headwaters. We use an economic incentive program, trading detention responsibility among parcel holders, in an urban pilot study to determine whether parcel-level best management practices (BMPs), such as rain gardens, can be implemented throughout the residential headwaters to reduce runoff. We propose an experimental auction approach to preview the feasibility of such a program. The 150 ha Shepherd Creek watershed in Cincinnati has a 1960s era residential community occupying its headwaters, with some area dedicated to horse pastures. A city park, dominated by mature deciduous forest, occupies the eastern half of the watershed. Using data from 5 hydrologic and ecological monitoring stations, we will determine whether the placement of BMPs in the residential area improve hydrologic and ecological conditions in the downstream tributaries of the urbanized half of the watershed.