Grantee Research Project Results

2018 Progress Report: Taking it to the Streets: Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Philadelphia Communities

EPA Grant Number: R835558
Title: Taking it to the Streets: Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Philadelphia Communities
Investigators: Ballestero, Thomas P
Institution: University of New Hampshire
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2017 (Extended to September 30, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2017 through September 30,2018
Project Amount: $992,759
RFA: Performance and Effectiveness of Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Approaches in the Urban Context: A Philadelphia Case Study (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Water

Objective:

This project proposes to build municipal capacity in the greater Philadelphia urban watersheds for Green Infrastructure (GI) by engaging local and regional stakeholders in a planning and implementation process that is supported by science-based resources and up-to-date relevant technical information. This will be accomplished by: 1) Forming and working with a multi-sector project Advisory Board that will guide the implementation of the project goals with the project partners; 2) Increasing municipal familiarity with the design, construction, and maintenance of green infrastructure practices through the installation of high impact, high-visibility demonstration projects; 3) Increasing municipal capacity to implement green infrastructure by identifying existing social/ economic/ knowledge/ technical barriers and prioritization of strategies; 4) Developing partnerships within and between government and other stakeholders in the City; 5) Clear tracking of green jobs and job opportunities associated with GI implementation; 6) Targeting outreach and dissemination of technical and informational resources through approaches identified and prioritized by the Advisory Board that is likely to include, but not limited to, community forums, training workshops on technical and regulatory elements of green infrastructure, web resources, printed materials, public school programs, and other approaches.

Progress Summary:

Task 1. Collaborative Planning and Demonstration Project Implementation

Monitoring at the completed Chester Arthur Elementary School continued. A weather station was designed and ordered. It awaits installation. In collaboration with AECOM, the stormwater systems for the Chubb INA Holdings, Inc. at the Northeast Philadelphia airport were constructed. A new collaboration began for the schoolyard redevelopment and stormwater management of the Tanner Duckrey Elementary School.

Task 2. Land Use, Impervious Cover, and Pollutant Loading Analysis

EPA’s Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) was used to evaluate the error associated with GI system modeling, and to develop an understanding of the impact of system sizing on stormwater runoff control as wells as the costs to meet stormwater management objectives. The continuing efforts in 2018 focused on the performance of SWMM in the design phase specifically in how SWMM estimates infiltration versus the actual infiltration measured in systems. Systems presently being modeled include: Horne Street, A-lot, E-lot, and Chester Arthur.

Task 3. Performance Monitoring

The following sites continue to be monitored to understand volume reduction and peak flow attenuation: A Lot Philadelphia Tree Trench; E Lot Philadelphia Tree Trench; Grove Street subsurface gravel filter; Kettlebell subsurface gravel filter; Horne Street bioretention; Chester Arthur Elementary School (porous asphalt; bioretention).

A field campaign was initiated to understand the infiltration capacity of permeable pavements and whether the rate is sustainable or reduces with time.

Task 4. Resource Framework Development

The Philadelphia Tree Trench design was varied by installing the influent pipe on the bottom (PWD specification) and at the top (UNH innovation). The data from both systems reveal that locating the pipe on the bottom results in a much higher frequency of premature bypass (overflow). This results from hydraulic inefficiency as well as the increased demand for more frequent maintenance.

Lateral infiltration in stormwater systems is rarely given credit, often not modeled, yet a significant source of volume reduction. Lateral infiltration models were developed to estimate this volume loss while in the design phase.

Task 5. Green Infrastructure Training and Design and Implementation Capacity Building

No trainings were performed in 2018

Task 6. Outreach and K-12 Education

The weather station for the Chester Arthur Elementary School was ordered and delivered. Various professional presentations were completed. Some project results were built into the UNH stormwater certification course.

Future Activities:

Task 1. Collaborative Planning and Demonstration Project Implementation

Continue developing concepts and through final designs for Duckrey Elementary School

Task 2. Land Use, Impervious Cover, and Pollutant Loading Analysis

Complete SWMM modeling comparisons to field data and assess how to better model infiltration with SWMM.

Task 3. Performance Monitoring

Continue monitoring: A Lot Philadelphia Tree Trench; E Lot Philadelphia Tree Trench; Grove Street subsurface gravel filter; Horne Street bioretention; Chester Arthur Elementary School (porous asphalt; bioretention). In addition, continue porous pavement infiltration monitoring.

Task 4. Resource Framework Development

Understand carbon storage in bioretention systems. Finalize design technical note for tree trench systems. Develop a technical memo for permeable pavement infiltration dataset.

Task 5. Green Infrastructure Training and Design and Implementation Capacity Building

Offer one or two presentations for PWD. Include data results into UNH certification training courses.

Task 6. Outreach and K-12 Education

Install and bring Chester Arthur weather station online, train faculty on accessing the system, integrate weather station and stormwater data into class curricula.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 44 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Stormwater, infiltration, permeable pavements

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.