Grantee Research Project Results

2013 Progress Report: Sustainable Community Oriented Stormwater Management (S-COSM): A Sensible Strategy for the Chesapeake Bay

EPA Grant Number: R835284
Title: Sustainable Community Oriented Stormwater Management (S-COSM): A Sensible Strategy for the Chesapeake Bay
Investigators: Leisnham, Paul , Wilson, Sacoby M. , Shirmohammadi, Adel , Davis, Allen , Rockler, Amanda , Lipton, Douglas , Montas, Hubert , Foster, James , McCoy, John , Chanse, Victoria
Current Investigators: Leisnham, Paul , Wilson, Sacoby M. , Davis, Allen , Montas, Hubert , Chanse, Victoria , McCoy, John , Foster, James , Rockler, Amanda , Shirmohammadi, Adel , Lipton, Douglas
Institution: University of Maryland - College Park
Current Institution: University of Maryland - College Park , Anacostia Watershed Society , Columbia Association , Maryland Sea Grant
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2017
Project Period Covered by this Report: July 3, 2012 through August 2,2013
Project Amount: $691,674
RFA: Sustainable Chesapeake: A Community-Based Approach to Stormwater Management Using Green Infrastructure (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Watersheds , Water , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

The goal of this project is to efficiently improve urban stormwater conditions by increasing Best Management Practice (BMP) adoption, specifically on targeted hot spots, via a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) process. Objectives are to: 1) identify barriers to BMP adoption, 2) spatially target stormwater hot spots with appropriate BMPs, filtered by adoption likelihood, and 3) lower BMP adoption thresholds.

Progress Summary:

Stakeholder interviews and Photovoice (photographic analyses of water resources by residents) have been conducted in the two study watersheds to provide detailed information on community perceptions of the barriers and solutions to storm water management. These data have informed the development of a large scale survey, which will be deployed in Year 2 of the project, to quantify resident knowledge and attitudes of storm water BMPs. Biodynamic hydrologic models have been built and calibrated for the two study watersheds using environmental data. The framework of a Diagnostic Decision Support System (DDSS) that will help watershed managers prescribe the appropriate BMP for given environmental and social conditions has been developed, and awaits the inclusion of a model of BMP likelihood based on social data. Watershed Stewardship Academies (WSA) have been launched in each study watershed as key CBPR interventions aimed at improving resident knowledge and attitudes of water resources and storm water management and lower BMP adoption thresholds. A Community Watershed Advisory Committee (CWAC), comprised of community leaders and outside experts, has been formed. It has reviewed project progress and advised the interdisciplinary PI team on all aspects of the study.

Future Activities:

In Year 2 of this project, a survey will be deployed to evaluate resident knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards water resources and stormwater management. A model of BMP adoption likelihood as a function of social factors will be developed from these results. The DDSS will incorporate the BMP adoption model and it will be validated to target pollution hot spots to prescribe appropriate BMPs and map the level of change in community knowledge, attitudes and behaviors needed for adoption. Survey data also will inform the development of improved social marketing materials that will be circulated in study watersheds as a major education and extension intervention alongside the ongoing training of citizens in Watershed Stewardship Academies (WSAs).

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 33 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

pollution prevention, socio-economic, integrated assessment;

Relevant Websites:

UMD | Improved Diagnostics for Watershed Health S-COSM: Sustainable Community Orientated Stormwater Management Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.