Citation:

Duncan, B. AND L. Rossman. Introduction to EPA's Stormwater Calculator - Incorporating Low Impact Development and Climate Science Tools. Presented at 23rd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (PNW-SETAC), Tacoma, WA, April 24 - 26, 2014.

Impact/Purpose:

This presentation highlights the ease of use, and investigatory capabilities. The intent is to have the SWC available during meeting breaks for those interested in its use.

Description:

The EPA Office of Research and Development released its National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) which is available at: http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/ (contact: SWC@EPA.gov). It is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States. Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records. The Calculator accesses several national databases that provide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation information for the chosen site. Who is it for? It is designed to be used by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property, including site developers, landscape architects, urban planners, and homeowners. Users are encouraged to develop a range of SWC results with various assumptions about model inputs such as percent of impervious surface, soil type, sizing of green infrastructure, as well as historical weather and future climate change scenarios. Users are encouraged to check with local authorities about whether and how use of these tools may support local stormwater management goals and requirements. Low Impact Development. The user supplies information about the site’s land cover and selects the types of low impact development (LID) controls they would like to use. The LID controls that the user can choose are the following seven green infrastructure practices: Disconnection; Rain harvesting; Rain gardens; Green roofs; Street planters; Infiltration basins; Porous pavement. Green infrastructure promotes the natural movement of water, instead of allowing it to wash into streets and down storm drains. Green infrastructure also has the added benefit of beautifying neighborhoods and increasing property values. Future Climate. Users can consider how runoff may vary based on historical weather and potential future climate. This presentation highlights the ease of use, and investigatory capabilities. The intent is to have the SWC available during meeting breaks for those interested in its use.

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