Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Improving Hydrologic Sustainability of Texas A&M University Campus
EPA Grant Number: SU833944Title: Improving Hydrologic Sustainability of Texas A&M University Campus
Investigators: Zechman, Emily , Boulanger, Bryan , Jaber, Fouad , Moore, Georgianne , Stoleru, Radu
Institution: Texas A & M University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2008 through August 14, 2009
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2008) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The objective of this research is to better quantify and increase awareness of storm water runoff impacts through the development and demonstration of new hydrologic sustainability metrics and to increase the hydrologic sustainability of the Texas A&M University campus. We propose a metric, Hydrologic Footprint Residence (HFR) that captures the change in the downstream floodplain and the duration of the flood’s residence. Because Texas A&M University is one of the nation’s largest university campuses by acreage, the campus has the potential for severely impacting downstream health. The hydrological sustainability of the campus will be evaluated through traditional flow-based metrics, statistical metrics, and HFR. Low Impact Development (LID) designs for improving the hydrologic sustainability of campus will be investigated and evaluated based on these metrics. This research will involve the investigation of metrics, development of hydrologic models of the Texas A&M University campus, hydrologic data gathering efforts, integration of LID models with hydrologic models, and design and evaluation of LID.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
For small to mid-sized rain events, LID scenarios, including permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting, green roofs, and riparian buffer strips perform similarly to a conventional Best Management Practice, a detention pond, with respect to peak flows and HFR. For large rain events, the detention pond shows a lower peak flow and HFR than the LID strategies. Though the detention pond has a peak flow similar to the predevelopment conditions for large storms, the HFR is significantly higher. This is due to the sustained higher flows of the detention pond, and demonstrates the use of HFR as a more stringent metric than the peak flow alone.
Conclusions:
LID strategies can be used in watershed management to use a more decentralized approach. In watersheds that are more urbanized, LID may have a more significant impact on stormwater mitigation. The Hydrologic Footprint Residence (HFR) serves as a useful metric for evaluating the stormwater footprint of urban development and LID strategies.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies: The purpose of Phase II of this project is to improve predictions of the hydrologic impacts of LID and to increase the awareness of LID for mitigating stormwater runoff.
The first objective of the proposed research is to improve simulation of permeable pavement and rainwater harvesting systems within a watershed model. In Phase I, LID strategies were simulated within a watershed model based on the limited amount of research available in the literature. In Phase II, we will conduct field experiments to collect runoff volumes for pervious pavement and rainwater harvesting systems. This data will provide the basis for developing curve numbers that can be used in watershed modeling.
The second objective of the proposed research is to conduct outreach activities to increase awareness of the stormwater footprint savings of LID. In Phase I, we developed a tool that is easily accessible to evaluate the stormwater footprint of urban development and LID, the Hydrologic Footprint Residence (HFR). The HFR calculates the time that land is inundated for a design storm and captures the changes in the flow regime due to development by accounting for both higher peak flows and longer times of inundation. This metric can be used to increase awareness of stormwater impacts of development. In Phase II, we will calculate the HFR for LID scenarios for a watershed on Texas A&M Campus. We will work with two organizations to conduct workshops on LID stormwater benefits and the HFR as a metric for evaluating designs.
Journal Articles on this Report : 4 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 4 publications | 4 publications in selected types | All 4 journal articles |
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Damodaram C, Giacomoni M, Holmes H, Ryan A, Saour W, Zechman E. Simulation of Combined Best Management Practices and Low Impact Development for Sustainable Stormwater Management. AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION 2010;46(5):907-918 |
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Damodaram C, Zechman E. Simulation-Optimization Approach to Design Low Impact Development for Managing Peak Flow Alterations in Urbanizing Watersheds. JOURNAL OF WATER RESOURCES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT 2012;139(3):172018 |
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Giacomoni M, Zechman E, Brumbelow K. Hydrologic Footprint Residence: Environmentally Friendly Criteria for Best Management Practices. JOURNAL OF HUDROLOGIC ENGINEERING 2011;17(1):172018 |
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Giacomoni M, Gomez R, Berglund E. Hydrologic Impact Assessment of Land Cover Change and Stormwater Management Using the Hydrologic Footprint Residence. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION 2014;50(5):1242-1256 |
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Supplemental Keywords:
water quantity, sustainable water management, urban water planning, storm water management,Relevant Websites:
https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/ezechman/P3/index.html
http://twri.tamu.edu/news/2009/03/02/am-students-receive-environmental-grant/
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.