Stormwater January/February 2016

Jan u ar y /F ebr u ar y 2016 | www. stormh2o. com

T H E J O U R N A L F O R S U R FA C E W AT E R Q U A L I T Y P R O F E S S I O N A L S

Surf and Turf:

Characterizing Trash

Community Outreach Through Art Maintenance for Permeable Pavement Repairing a BMP Failure

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Stormwater January/February 2016 | Volume 17, Number 1 EDITOR Janice Kaspersen: jkaspersen@forester.net

COVER STORY

FEATURES

22

MANAGING PRODUCTION EDITOR Brianna Duncan IT/ONLINE SUPPORT Steven Grimaud WEB EDITOR David Rachford

12 First Response: Storm Damage Mitigation of a BMP Failure

WEBMASTER Nadia English: nenglish@forester.net ASSISTANT EDITOR Arturo Santiago

By Audrey G. Beaulac

DIRECTOR OF ONLINE MEDIA & IT John Richardson

22 Surf and Turf

GROUP EDITOR John Trotti: jtrotti@forester.net

Characterization of trash in water and on land

By Donna Chen and Shahram Kharaghani

BRAND MANAGERS Shane Stevens, Glenys Archer, Suzy Shidlovsky SENIOR BRAND MANAGERS Mark Gersten, Geoff Solo, Eileen Duarte

28 Maintenance Guidelines for Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement Systems

By David K. Hein

40 MS4 Community Education, Outreach, and Involvement Through Art

By Elizabeth Arceneaux and Shawn Wolfshohl

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER Deja Hsu SENIOR DESIGNER Tyler Adair PRODUCTION MANAGER Doug Mlyn ART DIRECTOR Judith Geiger DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION Steven Wayner: swayner@forester.net

Cover photo: iStock/Smithore

PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, EDUCATION & TRAINING Hayley Hogan: hhogan@forester.net DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & TRAINING Beth Tompkins: btompkins@forester.net

48 ShowCase

8 Guest Editorial

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES Adam Schaffer: aschaffer@forester.net

PRODUCT MARKETING COORDINATOR, EDUCATION & TRAINING Phil Johnson: pjohnson@forester.net

DEPARTMENTS 6 Editor’s Comments

SALES & MARKETING COORDINATOR Carmody Cutter

56 Marketplace

57 Spotlight 58 Reader Profile

56 Advertiser’s Index

CONFERENCE SALES & MARKETING Brigette Burich: bburich@forester.net CONFERENCE DIRECTOR Scott Nania: snania@forester.net ACCOUNTANT/CHAIR, LOVE & HAPPINESS COMMITTEE Courtney Keele AR/AP Keith Rodgers

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STORMWATER (ISSN 1531-0574) is published eight times annually (bimonthly with an extra issue in May and October) by Forester Media Inc., 2946 De La Vina Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, 805-682-1300, fax: 805-682-0200, e-mail: publisher@forester.net, website: www.foresternetwork.com. Periodical postage paid at Santa Barbara, CA, and additional mailing offices. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Entire contents ©2016 by Forester Media Inc. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Stormwater, 440 Quadrangle Drive Ste E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Changes of address can be completed online at www.cdsreportnow.com/renew/ now?stw or mailed to 440 Quadrangle Drive Ste E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; please provide your mailing label or old address in addition to new address; include zip code or postal code. Allow two months for change. Editorial contributions are welcome. All material must be accompanied by stamped return envelopes and will be handled with reasonable care; however, publishers assume no responsibility for safety of art work, photographs, or manuscripts. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for the correctness or accuracy of information supplied herein or for any opinion expressed. Subscription rates: Eight issues of Stormwater are $76 per year in US ($95 in Canada, $160 elsewhere). Send the completed subscription card with a check to Stormwater, 440 Quadrangle Drive Ste E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Reprints: All editorial material in Stormwater is available for reprints. Call 805-679-7604 or e-mail reprints@forester.net for additional information. List Rentals: 1-800-529-9020 ext. 5003, dfoster@inforefinery.com. Articles appearing in this journal are indexed in Environmental Periodicals Bibliography. Back issues may be ordered (depending on available inventory) for $15 per copy in US ($20 in Canada, $35 elsewhere). Send written requests for back issues along with check or money order in US funds payable to Stormwater, PO Box 3100, Santa Barbara, CA 93130, USA. Provide address for where copies should be shipped. Allow six weeks for delivery.

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FINANCE & HR MANAGER John Pasini: jpasini@forester.net PUBLISHER Daniel Waldman: dwaldman@forester.net

25th ANNIVERSARY

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EDITOR’S COMMENTS

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Blowin’ in the Wind —Who Knew?

By Janice Kaspersen

Roger Bannerman

Environmental Specialist Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison, WI

Laureen M. Boles President E4Progress Philadelphia, PA

Dave Briglio, P.E.

I

n several editorials and blogs over the last few years, I’ve mentioned the problem of plastics and other debris in our water bodies. Plastic in the oceans gets a lot of attention, from the Texas-sized Great Pacific Garbage Patch to the many other swirling masses of debris out there. One environmental organization fighting the problem, 5 Gyres, even takes its name from them.

Almost all of the debris in the oceans originates on land, of course, carried (or so most people have assumed) in runoff to rivers and eventually to the sea. And although it’s a water-quality issue, much of it has been hard for the stormwater management community to do anything about, at least directly. It’s not only discarded trash that’s making its way to the waters; tiny but insidious bits of plastic also come from industrial sources (the small plastic pellets called “nurdles” that are used in the manufacture of plastic goods) and from wastewater. Recently the issue of miniscule plastic beads used in many personal care products—skin exfoliants and toothpastes, for example—came to the public’s attention in a big way; wastewater treatment plants don’t capture them, so they slip through to lakes, rivers, oceans—and into the food chain.

In this case, faced with pending legislation in some states to outlaw the plastic beads, many manufacturers began substituting other ingredients like degradable microcrystalline cellulose instead.

Parts of the debris problem, though, do lie squarely within our purview, and, with a little help, there is something we can do about it.

The article on page 22 of this issue reports on an innovative study, carried out jointly over several years by a city and a nonprofit organization, to figure out just what we’re dealing with, where it’s coming from, and how it’s traveling, which in turn can help tremendously in targeting source control efforts. And although trash characterization studies are not uncommon, this one puts a slightly different spin on the process.

The city—Los Angeles—has several total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) in place for 6

trash, stemming from a 1999 lawsuit and consent decree, so it had strong incentive to take action. It found that although physical barriers like catch basin screens and inserts, belowground separators, netting systems, and low-flow diversions were having an effect, they weren’t going to get the city what the TMDL said it needed to have, which is essentially no trash at all in the river.

A nonprofit organization, Friends of the Los Angeles River, holds a regular event called the Great Los Angeles River Cleanup, which brings volunteers out to gather trash from the banks of more than 50 miles of urban river. It began characterizing the trash it collected, labeling it by location and by type. The city, meanwhile, was conducting studies of its own, collecting and characterizing trash from various landuse areas. Comparing results, the city and the nonprofit found vastly different types of trash in or near water versus on land. The results indicate that trash is carried to the river not only by stormwater runoff but also, significantly, by wind—especially lightweight items like plastic bags and wrappers—and through direct dumping into the water—mostly larger items like mattresses and shopping carts.

The upshot of all this is a shift in Los Angeles to focus not only on the physical barriers like screens and catch basin inserts— which after all can catch only what’s already in the runoff stream—but also on source control: public education, legislative approaches, stronger enforcement of laws against illegal dumping, better targeting of trash in public spaces like parks. Some cities faced with similar results might consider launching or increasing their street sweeping programs as well. A growing number are already enacting bans on plastic shopping bags.

The results of the study in LA show that stormwater departments most likely can’t solve the trash problem on their own. But if stormwater departments in other cities push for similar studies, it might help the public and elected officials understand the real scope of the problem and the variety of options—more than we think—to solve it.

Senior Water Resources Engineer EA Engineering, Science & Technology Inc. Hunt Valley, MD

Dirk S.G. Brown, J.D. Regulatory Compliance Advisor Department of Public Utilities City of Columbus, OH

Patrick S. Collins, P.E. Engineering Department Director/ City Engineer Valdosta, GA

Thomas R. Decker, P.E., M.S.C.E. Director of Water Resources Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. Morristown, NJ

Gordon England, P.E. Cocoa Beach, FL

Bruce K. Ferguson, FASLA Professor & Director School of Environmental Design University of Georgia Athens, GA

Jerry Hancock, CFM Stormwater and Floodplain Programs Coordinator City of Ann Arbor, MI

Tom Hegemier, P.E. Senior Project Manager Alan Plummer and Associates Austin, TX

Masoud Kayhanian, Ph.D. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California Davis, CA

Brant D. Keller, Ph.D. Director of Public Works and Utilities Griffin, GA

G. Fred Lee, Ph.D., P.E., B.C.E.E., F.ASCE President G. Fred Lee & Associates El Macero, CA

Gary R. Minton, Ph.D., P.E. Stormwater Consultant Seattle, WA

Betty Rushton, Ph.D. Environmental Scientist Gainesville, FL

Elizabeth Treadway Senior Consultant AMEC Earth & Environmental Greensboro, NC

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GUEST EDITORIAL

How to Avoid Communication Disasters What we learned from Hurricane Katrina about water and wastewater emergencies

BY MELANIE K. GOETZ

August 29, 2005, 6 a.m.

commercial and residential districts alike. Looting was rampant.

Desperation hung in the air. The dead and dying were everywhere. half-hour before dawn, Hurricane Katrina shook When frantic locals finally were able to reach FEMA, they were sleeping residents of Plaquemines Parish with confronted by tiring channels of traditional communication proto144-mile-per-hour winds and relentless rainfall. col. Local public service agencies reaching out to FEMA were asked Cell phone towers lay down before her, broadto hold—even though every minute counted. Decisions needed to cast airwaves went blank, and telephone lines be made quickly, and some dutifully recorded voicemails fell on thrashed impotently in her wake. deaf ears—used only months later for Senate hearings.

New Orleans, always so full of sass and brio, suddenly went For days—while the mortally wounded city foundered— deathly quiet. bureaucrats bickered. FEMA clung to its rigid chain of command.

By lunchtime the levees protecting New Orleans had State and local officials blustered breached, and Katrina romped like at the hierarchy, even as they a brazen, unwelcome houseguest. nagged at each other for control From the shores of Lake Pontcharand authority. Meanwhile, the Gulf train to the Lower Ninth Ward, her Coast withered and grieved in penetrating, stench-bearing trickles dealing with developing-world type proved as insidiously lethal as the conditions. more terrifying power of her formiBuses sat idle on the outskirts dable cascades and surges. of the devastation, lacking official Michael Brown, director of the permission to deliver crucially Federal Emergency Management needed supplies. Authorities Agency (FEMA), remained in Washstymied bottled water supplies just ington, DC, assuring a concerned outside the city. The list of outrages nation that things were under is as long as the list of issues control. Only one person from FEMA . . . and it wasn’t that the federal was actually in New Orleans, moniHurricane Katrina moved ashore over southeast Louisiana government didn’t care, or that toring the devastation helplessly and southern Mississippi early on August 29, 2005 state and local officials were totally from the remote viewpoint of a Coast lacking in skills and urgency.

Guard helicopter as he struggled in There were, however, fundamental struggles over who was to vain to communicate the burgeoning horror of floating bodies do what, when, and where. and stranded residents pleading for salvation below.

Katrina spawned myriad complex communication needs— With cell towers down, the FEMA representative resigned himself a massive demand for a coordinating voice that (and this is to the fact that e-mail was the only form of communication availcrystal clear in retrospect) needed to be pushed outward rather able. He furiously typed urgent pleas for help, advocating for the than sucked into accountability-conscious bureaucracies. declaration of a national emergency—a humanitarian cataclysm.

Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff called this commuThere was no response. At the time, few of the top officials in nication breakdown a “perfect storm,” conceding the impotency the US government used e-mail. (Only at a Senate inquiry many of traditional command-and-control paradigms. months later did officials acknowledge that the crucial e-mail wasn’t read until the next day.)

Some 80% of the city was inundated; residents likewise found Walmart’s Support and Communications themselves unable to communicate locally, relying on unheeded What most people don’t know is that Walmart’s support and come-mails. In despair, 20,000 huddled at the convention center, munications had a huge impact—more punch, apparently, than our another 20,000 were stranded inside the Superdome, and thouown government was able to summon. A case study by Harvard’s sands more were scattered on interstate bridges and atop other Kennedy School of Government cites the efforts of Walmart CEO high-water refuges. Hospitals languished without power or potable Lee Scott, who immediately issued an edict at a corporate upper water. Scrounging for survival gave way to social breakdown in management meeting: “This company will respond to the level NASA

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of this disaster. A lot of you are going to have to make decisions above your level. Make the best decision that you can with the information that’s available. Walmart’s upper managers passed a simple edict down to store managers: Get it done! Armed with that mission, managers and employees of 126 Walmart stores closed by power outages and structural damage acted on the message. Some 20,000 strong, they labored to open more than half those stores within hours. With their internal wounds quickly being sutured, the Walmart family turned outward. Empowered by upper management, Walmart managers began aggressively handing out free bottled water and other essentials.

While FEMA was still trying to figure out how to requisition supplies to New Orleans, one assistant manager mounted a bulldozer and rolled through the ravaged aisles of her damaged Walmart, literally scooping up usable supplies for distribution to locals in the parking lot. She even took a pharmaceutical order for the local hospital—all with the enthusiastic urging of Walmart management.

Walmart officials understood one benchmark fundamental: Complex problems like Katrina don’t require instructions. They knew that crisis management of Katrina’s magnitude required empowerment—enabling people to “do what’s right” without a leader telling them it’s “OK” to take charge. They focused on keeping people talking and enabling those on the front lines to do what needed to be done. Walmart worked as a team, and even the Red Cross worked with them.

The federal government, significantly, refused to team up with Walmart’s efforts.

Hurricane Katrina Survivor One Katrina survivor, an upper middle class guy—let’s call him “Larry”—is typical of those thousands of stranded souls. Larry had virtually grown up in New Orleans, and when the pre-hurricane evacuation orders came down, he thought back on the many, many hurricanes he’d witnessed and experienced. With news of yet another hurricane, he drove his wife and son to stay with relatives a couple of states away . . . then drove back to ground zero to board up his windows and make other usual preparations.

But even when Katrina started to promise a whole new standard of devastation, Larry didn’t worry much about evacuating. The day before Katrina hit truly was the calm before the storm, he recalls.

Like flipping a light switch, the air grew crisp and calm. But by early morning, he knew there would be no leaving.

The water blind-sided his home, Larry said, with devastating speed and impact. By the time the water reached the floor of the attic, his newly purchased Mercedes Benz had long since joined other objects bobbing in the waters like a child’s toy.

Larry cuddled as best he could in the attic, keeping molds at bay by creating a tent from tarps he’d squirreled away over the years.

Communications were cut off. The city went dark with the setting sun. The food and water he’d stashed soon began to look meager.

He realized early on that Katrina was going to take more than a few hours to fade away. He soon would be witness to a devastation that would forever change his life and take away too many others. It would fundamentally redefine New Orleans.

It was like “a zombie apocalypse,” he said. Debris was every-

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where. No power. No fuel. No lights. No transportation. Equally frightening, though, was witnessing the underbelly of society that came alive—looting, stealing and wreaking havoc—leaving nothing to stand in the way of the desperate competition for scarce necessities: water, food, medicines, fuel, transport. It seemed everyone carried weapons. Graveyards were literally giving up their dead. Hospital personnel abandoned the sick for their own survival.

IVs dripped until they emptied. Money was worthless, and the skills needed to hide from strangers proved essential.

Some two weeks later, the military brought food and water—precious gifts that Larry stood in line for hours to get. On incredibly hot, muggy September afternoons, ice was dropped onto parking lots for those that had a means to get there.

Larry said the experience actually made him a better person in many ways, but perhaps the most profound lesson was the importance of committing a plan to paper: of how to handle a real emergency, and how to cope with any of a hundred of contingencies that could prove fatal

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without such forethought. FEMA’s red tape made it essentially worthless. Coast Guard helicopters were literally being shot at—he witnessed one coming down. He heard of potentially lifesaving trailers sitting in the mud on the outskirts of town. In the end, only the Red Cross—along with Walmart and other private sector entities—had any presence that was helpful.

There is no underestimating the devastation Katrina brought to New Orleans.

There is also no underestimating the need to really understand what to do in the case of a water or wastewater emergency.

No matter how good the plan or how often it is written down, nothing commits it to memory like practice. We don’t send the military into combat without training.

Doctors don’t learn their craft by experimenting mindlessly with life-saving operations. Pilots take lessons, and practice, practice, practice before flying solo.

The Purpose of Water and Wastewater Networking Survivors of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes continue to preach impor-

tant lessons of the necessity of preparation and practice preceding the actual devastating experience—the importance of actually going through the motions of what to do in the event of a disaster.

Even emergency plans commonly considered to be models fail to contemplate coordination with outside entities such as FEMA and energy providers—overlooking the logistics of seeking out food sources, safe drinking water, medical personnel, and other essentials—and too often fall short of basic objectives of sustaining life and laying the groundwork for financially recovering from a natural disaster.

California has a system in place that originated in 1992 in the wake of three Bay area events: the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, a record-breaking freeze in 1990, and the 1991 East Bay Hills firestorm. The system is called WARN— an acronym for Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network. Encouraged by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Cal-WARN is broken down into six regions, each one having a representative. Each region, in turn, has

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Colorado, like so many other states, continues to face a host of natural disasters that threaten to compromise water and wastewater services. Coloradans even had their own “Jamestown Flood” when the normal trickle of the James River swelled following drenching storms in September 2013. The roughly 300 residents of the historic gold-mining town 40 miles northwest of Denver hastily evacuated, but when they returned, they found homes crushed and bridges and roads connecting them to the outside world washed away.

And the normally quiet little Jamestown became an island of devastation—its water no longer safe to drink, its delivery system virtually destroyed.

Enter Colorado’s Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network (CoWARN).

Dozens of surrounding entities quickly marshaled resources on a mission of salvage and repair; Jamestown’s water system was flushed and rebuilt as neigh-

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bors followed preplanned protocols to get the town back on its feet.

No e-mails needed to be read.

No complex and time-consuming approvals were required.

No, the response was immediate, efficient, and appropriate: The City of Boulder Public Works, Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, and the Colorado Rural Water Association spearheaded the dispatch of specialized equipment and trained personnel. Meanwhile, the Red Cross and Salvation Army provided bottled water and strategically positioned cisterns to store graywater.

The small neighboring town of Empire helped rehabilitate the treatment plant to get that critical infrastructure up and running again. The giant Denver Water leaned on nearly a century of experience in providing operators with storage tank cleansing and flushing needs. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shared in the recovery plans and proved instrumental in restoring safe drinking water by the end of October.

Members of WARN recognize that the damage can always be worse than the last natural disaster, and the potential for man-made emergencies must also be respected. By joining forces with other water and wastewater systems, they can be ready to take care of mutual aid and recognize that every day of recovery brings new challenges. Pre-build or have a plan for potable water stations—and document everything in order to gain financial recovery from FEMA. If your water or wastewater entity hasn’t done so already, join the WARN in your state. And if your state doesn’t have one—help set it up. Then be sure to communicate with your ratepayers that, while you cannot always prevent disasters, you can and have planned for how to restore water and wastewater services in the most efficient and timely manner.

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a steering committee of volunteers from the members of the water and wastewater utilities. Each of the six steering committees conducts an annual meeting for member utilities to discuss questions and concerns regarding mutual assistance and emergency preparedness. Similar WARN programs exist in 49 states, the National Capital Region (surrounding Washington DC), and two Canadian provinces.

The essence of WARN is to break down barriers of communication and shared resources—barriers of the sort that prevented badly needed assistance from reaching Katrina’s victims. In a nutshell, WARN is designed to expedite responses between water and wastewater utilities by establishing protocols regarding reimbursement and related legal matters prior to any incident.

Such pre-disaster planning minimizes logistical concerns and paves the way for coordinated response along clearly defined, predetermined guidelines.

Resources Melanie Goetz has presented several webinars through Forester University: “Communicating the Value of Water,” “How to Avoid Becoming a Media Crisis,” and “Surviving a Media Crisis.” To view these presentations as on-demand webcasts, visit:

www.ForesterUniversity.net.

American Water Works Association (AWWA). www.awwa.org.

AWWA. www.awwa.org/resources-tools/ water-knowledge/emergency-preparedness/water-wastewater-agency-responsenetwork.aspx. July 2015.

Melanie K. Goetz, MBA, is with Hughes & Stuart Marketing in Denver, CO. stormh2o.com | January/February 2016

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First Response Storm damage mitigation of a BMP failure

BY AUDREY G. BEAULAC

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n early July 2013, 2 inches of rain fell within a 45-minute period at the city-owned Lebanon Municipal Airport in Lebanon, NH. This storm created devastation for the city and the airport, with multiple slope failures and roadway washouts. In all, 3.47

mitigation at the end of Runway 7-25 later became part of the Storm Damage Project. Figure 1 shows the project area.

Background In 1992, the Lebanon Municipal Airport received a Federal Avia-

Figure 1. Project area layout

inches of rain fell during the 10-year storm event. A detention pond, perched high on the airport’s hillside, exceeded capacity, causing destruction of the detention pond and outlet swale. With similar incidents having occurred previously, reinforced stabilization measures were needed to prevent future failures.

Shortly after the rain event, Hoyle, Tanner & Associates Inc. was hired by the city of Lebanon, on behalf of the airport, to determine the extent of the damage, provide potential solutions and cost estimates, and determine Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding eligibility.

Hoyle, Tanner’s engineers visited the site to examine the failure areas.

The detention pond and outlet swale 12

tion Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant to extend the Runway 25 safety area along the hillside adjacent to Interstate 89, creating an approximately 60-foot-high fill slope, at 1V:2H. This runway safety area extension project led to the development of a south side drainage swale that consisted of longitudinal slopes up to 25%. Perforated underdrain pipes were utilized beneath the swale to convey stormwater from the southeast portion of Runway 7-25 toward a cross pipe under Interstate 89 and eventually to the Mascoma River.

An outlet pipe was relocated from the eastern to the western end of the existing detention pond as an 8-inch solid underdrain to convey smaller

storm event flows. This detention pond, fueled by a small stream that runs beneath Poverty Lane, is bound by a grassed access road to the north.

A stone-lined spillway and a 3-footdeep, 80-foot-long stone outlet swale were constructed above this underdrain pipe. The outlet swale was intended to act as an overflow weir for the detention pond and was constructed of 18 inches of 6- to 12-inch diameter stone, over 6 inches of 1.5inch crushed stone and a filter fabric.

As part of the improvement effort, the 80-foot-long swale was constructed to convey larger storm event flows along a 50% longitudinal slope and into the adjacent runway safety area ditch line.

During larger storm events since construction, minor erosion has occurred within these swales and additional, larger stone had been added.

The detention pond failed when the 8-inch outlet pipe beneath the spillway became overwhelmed with stormwater flow from the incoming stream (Figure 2). As the water level rose in the detention pond, the stormwater began to penetrate the spillway berm and

Figure 2. Erosion damage to the spillway

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Project that clears approximately 5 acres of trees upstream from the detention pond and outlet swale. This area south of Runway 7-25 consists of two subcatchment areas: one subcatchment area comprises 56 acres and conveys stormwater runoff to the existing Detention Pond 1; the second subcatchment area comprises 31 acres and conveys stormwater runoff to the runway safety area swale. The 5 acres of trees being removed are located

within the second subcatchment area, and removing the trees would increase stormwater runoff flow for a 50-year design storm by 6.5%, to 33 cfs. In order to meet environmental regulations including pre- versus post-flows downstream, Hoyle, Tanner proposed reconstruction of the detention pond to capture the stormwater from larger storm events and control its outflow better than it was previously able to do. Additionally, Hoyle,

Figure 3. Damage to the downstream swale

flow alongside the underdrain pipe, causing the soils to become saturated and eventually to give way. At the point of failure, a large rush of stormwater flowed through the stone outlet swale with velocities greater than the stones’ capacity and washed it, along with subgrade materials, down the swale (Figure 3). Most of the sediment that was carried downstream collected at the cross pipe under Interstate 89, burring that pipe. Some of the sediment that was washed downstream during this event collected on properties abutting the outlet to the cross pipe under Interstate 89.

Approach In September 2013, Hoyle, Tanner submitted a conceptual design report to the airport summarizing repair options and associated project costs.

The airport distributed the report to FEMA for a grant to restore the detention pond and swales to their original, pre-storm-event conditions. Two options were provided for FEMA’s consideration: an in-kind swale replacement option, and a swale mitigation to prevent future failures. An in-kind replacement consists of restoring the affected area to pre-storm condition, while the mitigation option consists of improving the affected area to prevent erosion damage during similar future storm events. FEMA recognized improvements could be made to prevent future damage and agreed the preferred option was to mitigate the swale to prevent future erosion.

Concurrently, Hoyle, Tanner was under contract with the airport for the Runway 7-25 Obstruction Removal

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Figure 4. Existing and proposed detention pond locations

Tanner proposed a new detention pond (Pond 3) in the Runway 7-25 safety area swale, just before the stone-lined outlet swale, to mitigate the additional flows due to the Obstruction Removal Project (Figure 4).

In September 2014, Hoyle, Tanner began the accelerated final design for the Storm Damage Project to accommodate FEMA funding set to expire in December 2014.

The design process began with evaluating the concerns

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and issues of the watershed in conjunction with the subsequent Obstruction Removal Project land development. The accelerated schedule gave the design team four weeks to coordinate the design, prepare and submit applicable permits, and bid with project stakeholders, including the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT), New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), FAA, FEMA, the airport, and the city’s Conservation Commission. With knowledge of both the Obstruction Removal and Storm Damage Projects, Hoyle, Tanner recognized the most cost-efficient approach was to combine the two projects, creating a stable slope at the end of Runway 7-25. The airport agreed to the combination of the projects, including the upgrade to Detention Pond 1 and the construction of Pond 3. The combination of the two projects resulted in two funding sources: FEMA for the Storm Damage Project, and FAA for the Obstruction Removal Project. With this combination, quantity match lines needed to be established to break out pay limits for each funding agency.

An Excavation Permit, issued through NHDOT, was required for construction access off Interstate 89. This permit required coordination with NHDOT’s District 2

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Figure 5. Typical section for the access road

Office and traffic control plans to demonstrate how access off the interstate would maintain a safe vehicular travel way and a safe work environment for the adjacent construction crews. An amendment to the existing NHDES Alteration of Terrain permit, which had already been approved for the Obstruction Removal Project, was required. An NHDES Standard Dredge and Fill Wetland Permit was also required because of the Obstruction Removal Project wetland impacts.

Previous swale designs and maintenance have included lining the swale with stones to dissipate the velocity within the open channel. Because the July 2013 failure was the second major failure of that stone-lined swale, the City Conservation Commission requested using different material to accommodate the high flow velocities. The commission also preferred to use a more aesthetically appealing product. The proposed design focused on reestablishing the existing swale while accommodating increased runoff from the Obstruction Removal Project. The Northeast Regional Climate Center provides climate and rainfall data for 12 northeastern states, including New Hampshire, and is predicting larger storm events and rainfall depths. These data were incorporated into the design, thus requiring mitigation of higher runoff volumes and flow velocities. The designers proposed a high-performance turf reinforcement matting (HPTRM). These mats are constructed of non-degradable geosynthetic materials that allow vegetation to grow, giving the swales natural appeal and providing channel protection.

Stormwater ponds in New Hampshire are to be designed to hold a 50-year storm event without overtopping, while meeting predevelopment flows at the project discharge point for two-year, 10-year, and 50-year storm events.

While maintaining the existing spillway location for Detention Pond 1, the designers were able to increase the pond capacity by proposing to excavate the opposite end side slopes to 3H:1V. Additionally, the design increased the berm and spillway elevation approximately 3 feet, while maintaining a 10-foot-wide access road along its top (Figure 5). Six inches of humus and 6 inches of crushed gravel were layered on top of low-permeability fill to create a stable maintenance road. The stormwater pond slope treatments proposed 6 inches of humus with a wet basin seed placed along its base and sides to promote vegetation growth in areas anticipated to be inundated with water for extended periods of time.

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Figure 6. Existing swale profile steep slopes

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Design Designers considered multiple solutions to convey flows, including detention pond and swale configurations with treatments including stone lining, check dams, closed drainage systems, and many combinations of each. Based on the steep slopes of the existing swale profile (Figure 6) and past failures, combinations of multiple best management practices (BMPs) were evaluated to convey stormwater to the Interstate 89 cross pipe. With this approach in mind, a two-part closed drainage system consisting of drainage pipes, catch basins, manholes, and detention ponds was selected for the hillside. The closed drainage systems are used to convey the stormwater flow (for storms up to and including a 50-year event) down the steep portions of the swale. The designers utilized the middle portion of the swale for an additional detention pond (Pond 4), to continually slow the stormwater flow and dissipate energy. The proposed design is broken out into four sections, as shown in Figure 7. Section 1 consists of Detention Pond 1 and the 50% longitudinally sloped outlet swale. Section 2 consists of Pond 3 located southwest of the Section 1 outlet swale and safety area swale intersection.

Section 3 consists of the safety area drainage swale from Pond 3 to Pond 4. Section 4 consists of the 25% longitudinal drainage slope from Pond 4 to the culvert at Interstate 89.

Each section is broken out in more detail below.

Section 1. The outlet to Section 1 is a vertically oriented, 4-foot-diameter concrete outlet control structure

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designed with two 8-inch orifices to meter the flow of water from Pond 1.

A 24-inch corrugated plastic pipe conveys the stormwater flows from the outlet control structure within a closed system to a manhole, which redirects the stormwater down the 50% slope to a manhole at the bottom. The manhole at the bottom of the slope redirects the stormwater 90 degrees back into the swale via a 36-inch corrugated plastic pipe and end section. Corrugated pipe will be used to dissipate stormwater flow energy, resulting in less erosive velocities at the swale. This proposed swale is designed to accommodate storm events larger than a 50-year event (Figure 8). The proposed swale design includes a keyed stone fill lining, Figure 7. The proposed design is broken out into four sections. consisting of 6- to 24-inch diameter stones, and geotextile fabric.

At the closed drainage system 90-degree bend, the exist- berm across the existing safety area swale, creating a collecing swale also changes direction 90 degrees. This location tion point for sediments to settle and allowing stormwater is where the stone lined outlet swale from Pond 1 meets flow mitigation through the remainder of the drainage swale. the adjacent runway safety area ditch line. This is also the Pond 3 has an outlet control structure similar to that of location of the proposed Pond 3.

Pond 1, which coveys smaller storm events to the manhole at the bottom of the 50% slope. An emergency spillway Section 2. Section 2 consists of Pond 3, which adds a

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has been designed into the berm of Pond 3 to convey larger storm events to the downstream swale. Pond 3 was designed to store a two-year storm event flow, at a maximum, below the emergency spillway crest.

Section 3. Section 3 is where the closed drainage system from Ponds 1 and 3 outlet. This relatively flat section of the drainage swale runs parallel to the runway safety area. A permanent earth check dam is proposed at the end of this swale, approximately 75 feet from the closed drainage system outlet.

This check dam creates a storage area, known as Pond 4, for stormwater flow to accumulate, allowing for continued mitigation of the stormwater flow. Pond 4 is lined with 12 inches of low permeability fill to minimize infiltration into the hillside, and 30 inches of keyed stone fill to help dissipate the flow of stormwater (Figure 9). Pond 4 is designed to detain up to a 50-year storm event while bypassing larger storm events through an emergency spillway designed in the top of the check dam berm. The outlet to Pond 4 is a catch basin located in the pond bottom.

Section 4. The final section of this swale system is Section 4, which consists of the catch basin outlet for Pond 4, in addition to multiple manholes and 36-inch corrugated plastic pipes. It includes the swale that coveys larger storm events, after they spill over the emergency spillway for Pond 4.

The closed drainage system is proposed beneath the swale (Figure 10),

Figure 8. Typical section of the proposed section 1 swale

which consists of approximately 25% longitudinal slopes and outlets approximately 50 feet before the Interstate 89 culvert into a plunge pool. The energy dissipater is a small depression approximately 5 inches deep created by using 12- to 24-inch stone to absorb stormwater flow energy as it leaves the closed drainage system. This portion of the complete drainage swale system is stabilized using HPTRM within the 2-foot-deep swale section and a stabilization fabric on the slopes above the swale. Because of the erosion that occurred from the July 2013 storm event, additional material is required to fill in the existing swale to reach proposed grade. The designers proposed a granular backfill material instead of a regular embankment material to compact better and provide a more solid base for the proposed swale.

The HPTRM that is proposed for

this swale was chosen over a stone fill material to provide a more aesthetically appealing look for this swale, at the request of the City Conservation Commission. The HPTRM was chosen over a traditional turf reinforcement matting due to the steep longitudinal slope of the swale and the potentially large flow velocities that may be present during larger storm events. The design details of how to anchor the matting ends to minimize the seepage of stormwater flow beneath the matting. The matting is anchored with pins or earth percussion anchors. These extend below the fill material and into the undisturbed ground to hold down the granular backfill material and matting above.

These anchors include a piece on the end that expands out when forces try to pull the anchor out of the ground.

Ponds 1 and 4 have been designed to detain up to a 50-year storm event,

Figure 9. Typical section of pond 4

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Figure 10. Typical section of the closed drainage system and drainage swale

while bypassing larger storms over emergency spillways within the pond berms. With seepage being a factor in the deterioration of the existing pond and swale, the emergency spillways were designed with low-permeability fill material to minimize the seepage through the berm. Additionally, a concrete cutoff wall is proposed within each berm to span the width of the spillway while extending deep enough to be set on existing, undisturbed ground. Anti-seep collars evenly spaced along the drainage pipes will also help minimize stormwater flow seepage along the pipes.

dissipation within an HPTRM-lined swale, installing cutoff walls within the permanent berms, and installing closed drainage systems with energy dissipation on steep sections of the swale. The improvements manage the larger storm event flows, which were originally

conveyed by the swale alone, using various BMPs to reduce peak runoff and impacts to downstream properties.

This approach incorporates stormwater practices collectively working to provide a better overall design while integrating land-use changes for future projects. Multiple BMPs and closed drainage systems create effective conveyance of large stormwater flows and high velocities along challenging terrain and steep slopes prone to erosion. The evaluation of swale linings to accommodate runoff included a high-performance turf reinforcement matting, keyed stone fill, and placed stone fill. Performance and aesthetics of the swale linings, as well as constructability, cost control, and providing a long-term sustainable solution were the key components in ensuring project stakeholders make this first response the last response required to stabilize the swale and hillside.

Audrey G. Beaulac, P.E., CPSWQ, is with Hoyle, Tanner & Associates Inc. in Manchester, NH.

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Conclusion The proposed design included many BMPs to detain and convey stormwater flows within a closed drainage system, appropriately sized open channel geometries, and linings to prevent future erosion. The selected BMPs included enlarging the existing pond (Pond 1) to accommodate the 50- and 100-year storm events, an additional detention pond (Pond 3) to accommodate future runway safety area improvements, installing a permanent check dam (Pond 4) and energy

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Surf and Turf Characterization of trash in water and land

BY DONNA CHEN AND SHAHRAM KHARAGHANI

T

he promulgation of trash total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and associated requirements in municipal stormwater permits have instituted the need to characterize anthropogenic trash on land and water to support trash-related management decisions. Trash is widely recognized as a serious water-quality concern. Trash in the Los Angeles River has been of concern to many Los Angelenos over the years.

The nonprofit Friends of Los Angeles River (FoLAR) has been holding The Great Los Angeles River CleanUp since 1990 and has characterized the trash found during some of the events. The city of Los Angeles, in 2012 and 2013, conducted a first-of-its-kind land characterization study of trash upstream from the receiving waters at five different land-use areas. Although not required for compliance with the various Los Angeles area trash TMDLs, these studies have provided insight into the composition and quantity of trash in water and land. The information from these studies will help agencies identify sources and potential methods of transport, and may lead to source control decisions,

Table 1. FoLAR Trash-Sorting Sites Site

2004

2005

2009

Lake Balboa (Balboa Blvd.)

Fletcher Drive

2010

x

x

Steelhead Park

x

x

22

Site Description, Land Areas Drained

x

Natural bottom by Sepulveda Dam, Park area, drains Reseda, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Canoga Park

x

x

x

x

x

Background In March 22, 1999, USEPA and USEPA Region 9 settled a lawsuit (Heal the Bay v. Browner) through a consent decree requiring the development of numerous TMDLs for the Los Angeles area by 2012. EPA delegated the responsibility to implement these provisions of the Clean Water Act to the state of California, specifically to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB). The consent decree established a schedule for the development of certain TMDLs over the 13-year period.

Trash is widely recognized as a serious water-quality concern in California, impacting creeks, shorelines, rivers, and lakes. The LARWQCB further identified trash in urban runoff that is conveyed through the storm drain system as a primary source of pollution reaching the receiving waters.

When trash is discarded on land, pollutants such as bacteria in animal droppings, household wastes, and toxic wastes are contained in or become entrained in paper, plastic, Table 2. Summary of Total Sorted Trash (percent) in Water and Land Studies FoLAR (water)

City (land)

Plastic film (bags, film, tarp)

42

19

Polystyrene

4

13

Glendale Narrows natural bottom, Park area, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Atwater Village, Silver Lake

Molded plastic

9

6

Snack wrappers

5

8

Beverage containers

4

4

Paper

3

30

Natural bottom area, drains South Los Angeles, Willowbrook, by Blue Line Station

Clothes

16

8

Metal

10

2

Glass

2

0

Food service packaging

7

8

Cigarette butts

0

1

Documented in river

Documented in streets

Natural bottom by Glendale Narrows, Park, Glendale, Burbank

x

Compton Creek (tributary)

Willow Street Estuary

2011

such as plastic bag or polystyrene bans, to most effectively reduce the amount of anthropogenic trash. This article describes the approach and results of the city of Los Angeles study and compares it with FoLAR results as described in FoLAR’s 2011 report, “A Trash Biography.” The assessment has shown that a disparity does exist in the character of trash in land compared to water.

End of river, confluence with major tributary.

Drains Compton, Paramount, Lynwood, Downey

Category

Bulky items (shopping carts, mattresses, etc.)

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Figure 1. FoLAR sites: Lake Balboa (red), Fletcher (yellow), Steelhead (green), Compton Creek (light blue), and Willow (dark blue)

polystyrene, cans, and other debris, which are transported by rainstorms into gutters, storm drains, and eventually into waterways, lakes, and the ocean. Street and storm drain trash studies have been conducted in various California regions, including one conducted by the city of Los Angeles. These studies have provided insight into the composition and quantity of trash that flows from urban streets into the storm drain system and out to adjacent waters. The LARWQCB identified many beneficial uses being impaired due to trash in these water bodies. Aquatic and marine life can be threatened from ingestion, entanglement, and habitat degradation from trash. Trash can jeopardize public health and safety and poses a hindrance to recreational, navigational, and commercial activities.

Trash Studies

Friends of Los Angeles River Studies. FoLAR is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1986, whose mission is to “protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Los Angeles River and its riparian habitat through inclusive planning, education, and wise stewardship.”

FoLAR has been holding The Great Los Angeles River CleanUp since 1990, in which thousands of volunteers have participated and thousands of pounds of trash have been removed. For several of the events, FoLAR has also

characterized the trash found in the waterways to bring attention to the most prevalent trash types impairing this waterway, which runs for 51 miles—from the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley to the ocean in Long Beach. The Los Angeles River flows through 14 cities and countless neighborhoods. FoLAR began sorting trash in 2004 and conducted additional trash sorts in 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2011 at five locations (Figure 1).

Trash was collected along the riverbanks only, and randomly selected bags of trash were pulled from each site and sorted. Trash flowing in the water down the river was not collected. The selected locations and year in which the sorting was conducted varied, most likely depending on available volunteer resources. In addition, based on FoLAR’s “A Trash Biography” report, it is difficult to determine the quality assurance/quality control, and study inconsistencies may occur. For example, volume was recorded but weight was not recorded in one collection year at the same location, and conversely, weight was recorded but volume was not recorded in the subsequent year. Sites where trash sorting occurred and the year(s) in which they took place are noted in Table 1.

The collected trash was sorted into 15 categories: 1. Food service packaging (clamshells, cups, etc.)

2. Snack and candy packaging stormh2o.com | January/February 2016

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3. Bottles and cans (California Redemption Value or “CRV� beverage containers) 4. Non-CRV containers (other beverage containers) 5. Molded plastic (non-beverage containers) 6. Metal (non-beverage containers) 7. Glass (non-beverage containers) 8. Cigarette butts 9. Polystyrene (Styrofoam, etc.)

10. Paper bags, newspapers, etc.

11. Plastic film, non-grocery bags 12. Plastic film, single-use grocery bags 13. Plastic film, tarps 14. Clothes and fabric 15. Other Between 10% and 20% of the total number of trash bags were randomly selected and pulled for sorting. The number depended upon the total amount of trash collected and number of volunteers available to help sort the trash. FoLAR sorted and placed each category of trash into other trash bags of uniform size to roughly measure volume (in number of standardized trash bags). FoLAR also measured weight (in pounds), but concluded that volume is a better measurement of quantity. Pieces of metal, wet cloth, and plastic laden with wet sand would result in overestimates or underestimates of the true weight of the material.

City of Los Angeles Trash Characterization Study. The city has had success in utilizing full- and partialcapture devices as well as institutional measures in meeting trash TMDL milestones. Since 2004, the city has conducted various studies to identify high-trash-generation areas, utilized mapping and field verification to identify land uses, and conducted studies of partial-trash-capture and deflection devices. Results of the study were evaluated and utilized to best implement the trash TMDL. The city has installed 38,000 catch basin screens, 10,000 catch basin inserts, six hydrodynamic separation devices, 13 netting systems, and 10 low-flow diversions to prevent trash from entering waterways, including the Los Angeles River.

Although not required for compliance with the various Los Angeles-area 24

Trash Generation Rates High > 14 cf / ac Med 6 - 14 cf / ac Low < 5 cf / ac Figure 2. The circles show city study locations in low and medium trash-generating areas.

trash TMDLs, the city also conducted a first-of-its-kind characterization study in 2012 and 2013, at 10 sites reflecting five different land-use areas, to determine types of trash being kept out of the catch basins (Figure 2). All previous characterization efforts had focused on types of trash that had been transported through the storm drain system to the receiving water-

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body, and none had evaluated the types of trash being discarded on the watershed drainage area.

In 2012, the city, with consultant assistance from Black and Veatch, initiated a study that originally was to focus only on assessing the performance of institutional measures in low- and medium-trash-generating areas of the city, because the hightrash-generating areas had already been brought into compliance with the installation of full-capture systems. Although it was not required by the trash TMDL, the city decided to incorporate a characterization effort into the institutional study. Activities

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conducted in preparation for the study included devising a work plan, training field staff on identification, stating purpose, and identifying collection method. The field supervisor and project manager provided oversight and corrected actions in the field as necessary as a means of quality assurance and control.

The MS4 permit provides guidelines as to several methods that can be used to show compliance with the trash TMDL milestones; one of those requirements is a prescribed time period (June 22 through September 22) to determine a daily generation rate. In theory, this period would be representative of trash discharged or discarded by only human activity in the watershed and would not be influenced by climatological factors. Thus, the city study adopted an eight-week time period in July through August 2012 and June through August 2013.

After collecting the trash in 5-gallon containers marked for volume (gallons) in the street and in front of the street catch basins at the sites for purposes of the institutional study, crews then sorted trash and placed it into categories consistent with the categories established by FoLAR. The sorted trash was then weighed and the volume recorded (Figures 3 and 4). The city aims to utilize the characterization data in identifying and monitoring any trends in trash generation that possibly can be a focus effort for other source control bans.

Results The data and results from FoLARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water-based and the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landbased characterization studies can be analyzed in various ways. Table 2 summarizes the total amount of trash collected and characterized from the two studies. For the city, the summary represents years 1 and 2 volumes (gallons) of trash collected from streets in medium- and low-trash-generating areas. For FoLAR, the table summarizes the results from the five riverbank sites where trash was collected and sorted.

The composition of trash collected on land by percent volume is dominated by paper (30%) and

is much greater than that collected on riverbanks (3%). Polystyrene was also collected in greater volume on land (13%) than in the river (4%).

Conversely, plastic film (42%) represented the greatest volume in the river compared to streets (19%), followed by clothes (16%) and metal (10%).

Small, light items such as snack wrappers and food service packaging were found in almost equal percentages in the water and on the land. Large and

bulky items were noted in both land and water (Figure 5).

Conclusion Based on the evaluation of the FoLAR river cleanups and the city of Los Angeles study, the types of trash found in waterways compared to the types found in the watershed land areas are distinct. Size and density appear to be the main distinguishing characteristics, which influence the mode of transport

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into the water bodies.

The evaluation of the results from the two studies seems to confirm that deposition of trash into the waterways is not solely due to the storm drain system, but that other factors also exist that contribute to the impairment of the water body by trash. A comparison of the studies seems to indicate that air deposition of trash may be significant, because much of the discarded material found in the water is of light composition and easily influenced by wind. Items such as plastic film and snack wrappers are most likely transported by wind and/or improperly disposed of by visitors along the riverbank as nonpoint sources. It is interesting to note that paper is the top material discarded in the watershed area, but hardly any was collected at the river. A plausible reason for paper not being seen at the water body is that paper absorbs water and eventually sinks and therefore is collected by river cleanup volunteers. Moreover, the Los Angeles River, having serendipitously fostered the growth of the city from the onset, has also become central to and impacted by social issues, such as homelessness.

A large homeless population calls the Los Angeles River home, which may account for the large volume of clothing and fabric found during river cleanups. Direct deposit into the river of bulky items such as shopping carts and mattresses indicates that illegal dumping is still taking place, because these would not fit into storm drain inlets (catch basins) found throughout the watershed.

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Figure 3. Volume (gallons) and site number were recorded on each bag of unsorted trash.

Many of the items found in both characterization studies are similar; the majority are small (9 inches or less) and light weight (low density). This seems to indicate that storm runoff or urban dry-weather runoff is the mode of transportation for lightweight, small-size trash into catch basins, through the storm drain system, and eventually into the receiving water. Size is important to note, because storm drain inlet structures (catch basins) typically have a curb opening height of 9 inches and various widths depending on the capture design for flow. This size parameter helps

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Figure 4. Field crew sorting collected trash

us understand the type of trash that we see in the waterway that may have come from the storm drain system, as shown by the data collected in the waterway and the trash categories selected. The city’s study also documented various instances of improper disposal of bulky items on land, where, if they were not removed, would have resulted in their decomposition and possible entrance into the storm drain system.

Since 2006, the city has been installing trash BMPs and currently has thousands of catch basin screens and inserts, several netting devices, hydrodynamic capture devices, and low-flow diversions across the city to prevent trash from entering the storm drain system. Runoff transports floatables such as polystyrene and plastic film and paper along the gutter to the fronts of the catch basin screens, which are designed with 5-millimeter openings. Based on evaluation of the FoLAR and city study data sets, the catch basin screens appear to be effective in preventing small and large pieces of trash from entering the river. FoLAR’s study showed large, small, and heavyweight pieces of trash

collected along riverbanks. It is more likely the large and dense pieces of trash were illegally or improperly disposed of, as they are not likely to have been transported through the storm drain system nor transported by wind. The smaller, lighter trash pieces were found almost equally on land and water, which indicates the catch basin screens prevent these small pieces from entering the storm drain system via stormwater runoff, but cannot prevent them from being wind-blown or improperly disposed into the water body.

The information obtained from the two studies can be used to help shape future compliance methods for trash TMDLs. These may include focused institutional efforts to target nonpoint sources such as parks and open space where large amounts of polystyrene and food and drink packaging were collected. There may be need to enhance enforcement for illegal dumping, and to focus education to target high-trash-generation areas such as alleyways.

Finally, the information may assist in moving forward to the “next-generation” BMPs, legislative approaches.

Donna Chen recently retired as assistant division manager of the City of Los Angeles’ Watershed Protection Division. She currently provides special studies for trash implementation, monitoring, and compliance as an independent consultant.

Shahram Kharaghani, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, is the stormwater program manager for the City of Los Angeles.

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Witham

Maintenance Guidelines for Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement Systems

BY DAVID K. HEIN

T

he sustainability of pavement infrastructure is paramount to ensuring viable transportation of people and goods. With the increasing size of roadway networks and increasing commercial vehicle loading, the investment required to maintaining the roadway network is

increasing. Preventive maintenance treatments reduce the risk of premature deterioration, slow the progression of defects, and cost-effectively extend the life of the pavement.

The key for cost-effective preventive maintenance is applying the appropriate treatment at the right time. The objective of a preventative

maintenance plan is to identify those sections that would benefit most from preventive maintenance, make the identification in a timely manner, and select and apply the most beneficial treatment.

This article provides operation and maintenance guidance to ensure that permeable pavements function

Figure 1. Left to Right: Low-, medium-, and high-severity clogging

28

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properly by providing stormwater infiltration and structural support for the anticipated traffic loading. It provides a background on the need for pavement preservation as well as specific performance criteria for the cost-effective maintenance of permeable pavements.

Details of specific processes and procedures to ensure the long-term permeability of the pavement, as well as procedures to evaluate the performance of the permeable pavement surface, are provided. This includes procedures to check the permeability of the pavement surface; the stability of the pavement, including edge restraints; localized deficiencies such as missing pavers, rutting, and cracked pavers, along with their extent and severity; and procedures to rectify any deficiencies. The article also provides recommendations for an annual monitoring program and maintenance plan, and detailed guidance for the effective maintenance of the pavement.

Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement

Figure 2. Test apparatus for determining surface infiltration rate

lar traffic while minimizing stormwater runoff and recharging groundwater supplies. In general, initial surface infiltration rates exceed 200 centime-

ters per hour (USEPA 2010), which provides effective passage for rainfall and adjacent runoff into the sub-base reservoir. Design pollutant removal

Permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICPs) have been used in North America since the early 1990s. The pavement consists of specially constructed pavers with gaps between the units. Instead of the traditional sand in the joints, an open graded stone chip material is used.

This provides for friction between the pavers while allowing water to pass more freely through the joints into the underlying reservoir layers.

The permeable joint space between the pavers is about 8 to 10% of the paved surface. The pavers are laid on a 50-centimeter bedding layer of open graded chip aggregate. The interlock of the pavers provides their strength under loading. Below the pavers, a typically 10-centimeter base layer and variable-thickness reservoir sub-base is used to accommodate the hydrologic goals for the pavement.

These facilities can support vehicu_______________________________ Tables 2 through 9 are based on ASTM Standard E2840â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Standard Practice for Pavement Condition Index Surveys for Interlocking Concrete Roads and Parking Lots.â&#x20AC;?

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Figure 3. Left to Right: Low-, medium-, and high-severity depression

efficiencies are on the order of 85% for total suspended solids (TSS), 35% for total phosphorus, and 30% for total nitrogen (NCDENR 2012).

The Interlocking Concrete Pavement institute (ICPI) has published a PICP guide that provides information on design, specifications, construction, and maintenance for permeable concrete pavements. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) has published a standard for the condition evaluation of conventional interlocking concrete pavements (ASTM E2840-11). The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) through the Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI) is planning the publication of a Standard Guideline for the Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement in 2015.

Because of the open nature of the surfaces, permeable pavements clog with sediment and debris overtime, thereby decreasing the infiltration rate. The rate of decrease depends on sources of deposited sediment. Such reductions from normal use still render a surface that can infiltrate most rain events. Gradual clogging of the surface layer can have the benefit of capturing some suspended solids that would otherwise be deposited into the subbase and/or discharge from the underdrains. With regular maintenance, the sediment that is captured near the surface can be more readily removed than sediment that accumulates in the sub-base.

face water’s ability to infiltrate through the joints between the pavers. Reduced surface infiltration would be observed by water ponding on the surface due to clogging of the joints. The joints are typically filled with clean aggregate open graded aggregate (typically ASTM No. 8, 89, or 9 stone). Over time, the joints can become clogged with debris and sediment. To ensure that the surface infiltration remains at a functional level, monitoring of the infiltration rates should be completed. Poor surface infiltration would be considered when the infiltration rate falls below the design infiltration rate or below (25 centimeters per hour, ICPI 2011).

Table 2. Severity of Depression

Secondary Drainage Features For urban roadways, once the

Severity

Depth of Depression

Low

0.5–1.3 cm

Medium

1.3–2.5 cm

High

> 2.5 cm

Surface Infiltration Surface infiltration of the PICP is achieved through the surTable 1. Severity of Surface Clogging Severity

Clogging (reduction from design infiltration rate)

Low

< 50% loss

Medium

50–85% loss

High

30

> 85% loss

Figure 4. Left to Right: Low-, medium-, and high-severity rutting

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surface water is infiltrated through the joints, it is temporarily stored in the open graded base and sub-base reservoir layers. From these reservoir layers, the water is channelled to secondary drainage features such as subdrains, outflows, and stormdrains. These secondary drainage features need to be monitored for clogging potential and damage to ensure that the stored water can be removed.

Pavement Condition Evaluation and Maintenance Actions To maintain the integrity of the permeable pavement and provide the necessary support for the traffic loading, the pavement needs to be monitored for signs of structural distresses that could impair the structural integrity. The pavers should be inspected for surface distresses and performance criteria. Procedures have been developed for all types of pavements to assist in identifying defects and in determining their extent and severity. These assessments allow maintenance and rehabilitation planning to cost-effectively extend the service life of the pavement and to avoid costly

reconstruction. This information can also be used as a part of a pavement inspection program to determine an overall condition rating for the pavement to assist in longer-term rehabilitation planning. The following sections outline typical observed distresses that may occur for permeable interlocking concrete block pavements. These include • Surface Clogging • Depression • Rutting • Faulting • Damaged pavers • Edge restraint damage • Excessive joint width • Joint filler loss • Horizontal creep • Additional minor distresses Surface Clogging. Surface clogging occurs when debris and other contaminants enter the jointing material and become lodged within the permeable pavement. This will reduce the permeability of the pavement and reduce the ability to store water. It also may result in localized ponding of surface water. PICP inspections should be completed once or twice annually (preferably after a storm event).

Inspection tasks should include the Table 3. Severity of Rutting following: • Document Severity Depth of Rut general site Low 0.5–1.5 cm features Medium 1.5–3.0 cm (photographs). > 3 cm High • Note obvious sources of surface contaminants such as sediment.

• Identify any changes in adjacent land use that may impact contributing area runoff for potential sources of contaminants.

• Inspect vegetation around PICP perimeter for cover

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and soil stability. â&#x20AC;˘ Check surface for buildup of sediment in joints. Buildup typically occurs near adjoining impervious pavements. If water ponds on the PICP and remains longer than one hour after a rainstorm, then measure the permeability of the pavement surface in accordance with the procedures outlined in ASTM C1781-13.

The results of the inspection should be documented and

Figure 5. Top to Bottom: Low-, medium-, and high-severity faulting

32

used to assist in updating the maintenance plan for the PICP system. The information should be used to assist in predicting future maintenance needs and be part of an overall management system for the pavement. Based on the results of the inspection, it may be appropriate to conduct remedial maintenance, particularly if the surface has not been vacuumed regularly.

The severity levels associated with surface clogging are classified as shown in Table 1. Examples of clogging are illustrated in Figure 1.

While the severity of clogging can be estimated based on visual observation as shown in Figure 1, a new ASTM procedure (ASTM C1781-13) was released and is specifically designed to measure the surface permeability of permeable interlocking concrete pavements. The procedure requires that an infiltration ring (Figure 2) be placed on the surface. A known volume of water is placed into the ring, and the time that it takes for the water to infiltrate the pavement surface is recorded.

Areas of the pavement exhibiting medium- and highseverity clogging (or if the ASTM C1781-13 results are below 250 centiTable 4. Severity of Faulting meters per hour), should be vacuMaximum Difference in Severity Elevation umed using a full Low 0.4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.6 cm vacuum sweeper (not regenerative Medium 0.6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.0 cm air). The joints > 1.0 cm High should be refilled after vacuuming.

Depression. A depression of the PICP surface occurs through settlement of the underlying subgrade or granular base rather than a load-related distress. The paver surface elevations are then lower than the surrounding areas.

Settlement and depressions are most common over utility cuts, near catch basins, and in areas adjacent to other roadway types. A depression is best measured using a 3-meter straight edge rather than by visual inspection. The severity of a depression is classified as shown in Table 2.

Examples of low-, medium-, and high-severity depressions are shown in Figure 3.

Pavement areas exhibiting medium- and high-severity depressions (settlement exceeding 1.3 centimeters) should be repaired to ensure smooth ride quality and reduce the risk of potential water ponding on the surface. The pavers and bedding chip in the affected areas should be removed and the exposed base leveled (with new base material added as necessary), followed by the placement of new bedding chip material and the pavers.

Rutting. Rutting is a type of surface depression that occurs in the wheel path. It is typically caused by settlement of the underlying subgrade or reservoir base under vehicle loading. Similarly to regular depressions, rutting should be measured using a 3-meter straight edge. The severity of rutting is classified as shown in Table 3.

Some examples of rutting are shown in Figure 4.

Pavement areas exhibiting medium- and high-severity rutting (rut depth exceeding 1.5 centimeters) should be

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repaired to ensure smooth ride quality and reduce the risk for potential water ponding. The pavers and bedding chip in the affected area should be removed and the exposed base leveled (with new base material added as necessary), followed by the placement of new bedding chip material and the pavers.

Table 5. Severity of Damage to Paver Units Severity

Description

Low Medium High

One or two cracks, chips, or spalls Increased cracking, chips, or spalling (not disintegrated) Pavers are cracked into multiple pieces or are disintegrated from cracks, chips, and/or spalls

Faulting. Faulting occurs in the permeable pavement when the elevation of small areas of the surface differs or has rotated to that of adjacent blocks. Typically faulting is caused by surficial settlement of the bedding sand, poor installation, or pumping of the joint filler or bedding sand.

The severity associated with faulting is defined as shown in Table 4.

Examples of pavement faulting are shown in Figure 5.

Pavement areas exhibiting medium- and high-severity faulting (maximum difference in height exceeding 0.6 centimeter) should be repaired to ensure smooth ride quality.

Damaged Paver Units. Damaged pavers are distresses observed to the actual paver units. The distresses are typically caused by load-related damage. Damage to paver units includes cracks, chips, and spalls. The severity of the damaged paver units is defined in Table 5.

Examples of damaged pavers for various severity levels are shown in Figure 6.

Pavers exhibiting medium- and high-severity damage should be removed and replaced to maintain the structural

One of the key advantages to PICPs is their ease of maintenance and repairs. Pavers can be easily removed and reinstated, utility cuts can be completed without affecting the pavement life, and surface cleaning can be completed with standard vacuuming equipment.

Figure 6. Top to Bottom: Low-, medium-, and high-severity damaged pavers

load capacity of the pavement.

Edge Restraint Damage. Edge restraints (typically curbs) provide lateral support for the PICP. Loss of lateral support due to damage to edge restraints can result movement or rotation of the pavers or loss of joint filler and bedding course material. The severity of the paver offset is defined in Table 6. stormh2o.com | January/February 2016

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Examples of loss edge restraint are illustrated in Figure 7.

All medium- and high-severity loss of edge restraint should be repaired or replaced.

Excessive Joint Width. The joints between the pavers are critical for providing both infiltration and structural interlock. Excessive joint width is a distress that can result in the block layer becoming less stiff and can lead to

Figure 8. Left to Right: Low-, medium-, and high-severity excessive joint width

overstressing of the substructure layers. It can occur from a number of factors including poor initial construction, lack of joint filler, poor edge restraint, and adjacent settlement or heave. Joint spacing between the permeable pavers is typically specified as 0.6 centimeter. As joints get wider, the individual blocks may show signs of rotation. The severity level of excessive joint width is defined as shown in Table 7.

Some examples of excessive joint width are shown in Table 6. Severity of Edge Restraint Damage Severity Low Medium High

Figure 7. Top to Bottom: Low-, medium-, and high-severity loss of edge support

34

Description Increased joint width (0.6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.0 cm) and no evidence of paver/ curb rotation Increased joint width (1.1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.5 cm) with evidence of paver/curb roatation Increased joint width (>1.5 cm), with considerable paver/curb rotation and local settlement

Figure 9. Left to Right: Low-, medium-, and high-severity joint filler loss

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Figure 8.

Pavers exhibiting medium and high excessive joint width should be removed and reset to maintain structural load capacity.

Joint Filler Loss. The joint filler in a PICP is considered essential to providing interlock and stiffness of the paver course and infiltration of the surface water. Loss of the joint filler can occur from a number of factors including excessive vacuum force during sweeping, pressure washing, and pumping under traffic loading. The severity of joint filler loss is defined as shown in Table 8.

Examples of joint filler loss are shown in Figure 9.

Joint filler should be reinstated for all joints exhibiting medium- and high-severity joint filler loss.

Horizontal Creep. Horizontal creep is the longitudinal displacement of the pavement caused by traffic loading.

The PICP surface should have a uniform pattern. Any shifting of the joints or pattern indicates horizontal creep. The severity levels associated with horizontal creep are classi-

fied as shown in Table 7. Severity of Excessive Joint Width Table 9.

Severity Joint Width Areas of Low 0.6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.0 cm the pavement Medium 1.1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.5 cm exhibiting > 1.5 cm High medium and high severity horizontal creep should be repaired. The repair consists of removing the pavers and bedding material in the affected area. The open graded aggregate base should then be levelled, with new material added as necessary, followed by the placement of new bedding chip and pavers.

Examples of horizontal creep are illustrated in Figure 10.

Additional Distresses. Additional distresses that can occur to a PICP include missing pavers, heaving, and patching. Missing pavers occur when sections of pavement completely disappear, either by removal or by disintegration or damage. Any missing pavers can compromise the integrity

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Figure 10. Clockwise from Top Left: Low-, medium-, and high-severity horizontal creep

of the pavement structure and increase roughness, creating a “pothole” effect.

Low severity would be considered as a single missing paver. Medium and high severity are indicated by two or more missing pavers, with high severity affecting the ride quality. All missing pavers should be replaced.

Pavement heaves are areas of the pavement surface that have elevations that are raised or higher than the surrounding areas. Heaves are typically caused by differential frost heave of the underlying soils. Heaves can also occur as a result of subgrade instability or in conjunction with settlement or rutting. Low severity is considered when the heave height is between 0.5 and 1.5 centimeters, medium severity between 1.5 and 3.0 centimeters, and high severity greater than 3.0 centimeters. Before mitigating pavement heave distress, it is prudent to undertake a geotechnical investigation to confirm the potential cause(s) of the distress.

A patching distress in a PCIP refers to sections of pavement that are missing pavers and have been reinstated with a dissimilar material Table 8. Severity of Joint Filler Loss Severity Low

< 1.0 cm

Medium

1.0–2.5 cm > 2.5 cm

High

36

Filler Loss Depth

(e.g., asphalt patch).

For permeable pavers, patching is not recommended, because the patch quality can compromise the integrity of the pavement structure, significantly reduce infiltration, and increase roughness.

Some examples of additional distresses are illustrated in Figure 11.

Monitoring Program The monitoring program should be completed on an annual basis; however, with increased sediment and debris, the program schedule may be modified as necessary. It is important that the surface infiltration, secondary drainage features, and structural adequacy are checked to ensure that the system functions properly.

Surface Infiltration Monitoring.

There are two ways of monitoring to determine surface infiltration: 1. Observe drainage and look for any standing water immediately following a heavy rain event.

2. Conduct surface infiltration tests using ASTM C1781-13.

3. Monitoring of the surface infiltration should be completed twice in the first year after construction,

followed by annual inspections.

Secondary Drainage Features. The free flow of the secondary drainage features such as subdrains, outflows, and storm drains should be monitored annually and after major rain events.

They should be free flowing and free of debris and sediment to allow for outflow of the stored water.

Structural Adequacy. To maintain the structural integrity of the permeable pavement, the pavement should be monitored annually for signs of structural distresses such as settlements, damaged paver units, and edge restraint damage.

For related articles: www.stormh2o.com

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For pavement preservation and stormwater management, it is recommended that annual inspections and monitoring of the PICP be completed. Annual inspections should be completed to ensure that the permeable paver system is providing proper structural support and surface water removal.

The structural adequacy inspections for PICPs are similar to those for regular interlocking concrete block pavement. ICPI and ASTM provide guidance for conducting inspections for conventional interlocking concrete pavements. The recommended maintenance activities and frequencies are summarized in Table 10.

air vacuum sweepers, adjustments must be made to the vacuum force to minimize removal of the joint filler stone from the joints.

The depth of vacuuming should be between 1.3 and 2.5 centimeters.

Joints should be refilled with clean aggregate (ASTM No. 8, 89, or 9 stone). Once joint filler has been reinstated, the surface should be monitored again to ensure infiltration has been improved to at least 50%

Annual sweeping should be scheduled to take place soon after any significant biomass loading.

Severity

Horizontal Movement

Low

0.6–1.0 cm

Medium

1.1–2.0 cm > 2.0 cm

High

of the design infiltration rate or a minimum of 2.5 centimeters per hour.

Annual sweeping should be scheduled to take place soon after any significant

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Permeable Pavement Maintenance and Rehabilitation One of the key advantages to PICPs is their ease of maintenance and repairs.

Pavers can be easily removed and reinstated, utility cuts can be completed without affecting the pavement life (no patches), and surface cleaning can be completed with standard vacuuming equipment.

Surface and Joint Cleaning. If standing water is ponding on the surface and/or infiltration rates are reduced, the pavement surface should be vacuum-swept to remove the sediment. Sweeping alone is not recommended, and vacuum-sweeping equipment should be used to ensure the sediment is removed. When using

Table 9. Severity of Horizontal Creep

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Inspection and Monitoring Program

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Figure 11. Top to Bottom: Medium-severity missing pavers, medium-severity pavement heave, high-severity pavement patching

biomass loading.

Paver Repair. All cracked paver units should be removed and replaced with new pavers. During design and construction of PICP, additional pavers should be ordered and stored for future maintenance and repairs. It is recommended that at least 25 square meters of the same pavers used in the roadway be ordered and kept for future poten38

tial use. This is especially critical if aesthetically unique pavers are chosen and installed. Purpose-built removal equipment can be used to remove pavers to prevent damage to surrounding pavers. An example of paver removal equipment is shown in Figure 12.

Surface Deformation Repairs. The majority of the distresses associated with structural adequacy will require the removal and rehabilitation of one or more material layers. The following steps are recommended for repair work completed beneath permeable pavements.

1. Remove pavers, clean, and stack for reinstatement.

Secure undisturbed pavers with a wood or metal frame.

2. Remove and dispose of bedding material.

3. Remove base material (can be stored in a clean area for reinstatement). No contaminated aggregate should be reused.

4. Re-compact subgrade material as required.

5. Reinstate and compact base material (ASTM No. 57).

6. Place and screed new bedding material (ASTM No. 2).

7. Reinstate pavers, fill joints (ASTM No. 8, 89, or 9 stone), and compacted surface. Place pavers at least 2.5 centimeters above undisturbed pavers prior to compaction.

Edge Restraint Damage. Loss of lateral restraint from edge strips, curbing, etc. can contribute to a variety of distresses including loss of joint filler and bedding material, excessive joint width, and paver rotation. Repairs to rehabilitate loss of edge restraint damage must address both the cause of loss of lateral support and the resulting pavement distresses such as widened joints, material loss, and paver rotation.

Utility Cuts. The ICPI has published a PICP guide that provides information on design, specifications, construction, and maintenance for permeable concrete pavements.

To repair underground utilities, the following steps be completed: 1. Remove pavers, clean, and store for reinstatement.

Secure undisturbed pavers with a wood or metal frame.

2. Remove and dispose of all bedding material.

3. Remove stone reservoir base material (and store in a clean area for reinstatement). No contaminated aggregate should be reused.

4. Excavate or re-compact subgrade material as required.

5. Repair or install utility as required.

6. Use flowable concrete fill to support repaired utility to provide support for the stone reservoir base. If flowable fill is not used, it is recommended that a dense graded base be placed and compacted in lifts not exceeding 15 centimeters to 100% of the standard Proctor maximum dry density. The dense graded aggregate should extend to the top of the adjacent open graded subbase aggregate.

7. Reinstate and compact stone reservoir base material.

David Hein has presented several webinars through Forester University on permeable pavements and roadway construction, including the Permeable Pavement Master Class Series. To view these presentations as on-demand webcasts, visit www.ForesterUniversity.net.

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8. Place and screed new bedding chip material.

9. Reinstate pavers, fill joints, and compacted surface. Place pavers 1.2 centimeters above undisturbed pavers prior to compaction. After compaction, the pavers should be no more than 0.2 centimeter above the elevation of the surrounding pavers.

10. Sweep surface to remove any excess debris.

Table 10. Recommended Permeable Pavement Maintenance Activities

Permeable Pavement Preservation Recommendations

Excessive Joint Width

Distress

Activity

Frequency

Clogging

Vacuum sweep surface to remove sediment

Annually (unless increase sediment loading)

Clean out or repair secondary drainage features

Annually; after major rain event

Repair all paver surface depressions exceeding 1.3 cm

Annually; repair as needed

Repair all paver surface rutting exceeding 1.5 cm

Annually; repair as needed

Faulting

Repair all paver surface faulting exceeding 0.6 cm

Annually; repair as needed

Damaged Paver Units

Replace medium- to high-severity cracked, spalled, or chipped paver units

Annually; repair as needed

Repair pavers offset by more than 0.6 cm from adjacent units or curbs, inlets, etc.

Annually; repair as needed

Repair pavers exhibiting joint width exceeding 1.1 cm

Annually; repair as needed

Clogged/Damaged Secondary Features Depressions Rutting

Edge Restraint Damage

Joint Filler Loss

To maximize the effective life of the Horizontal Creep permeable pavement, the following activities are recommended: Additional Distresses • Do not use conventional oil- or latex-based pavement marking materials. Colored paving blocks can be used to indicate centerline, parking stalls, designated parking areas, etc.

• Limit standing of vehicles that might leak engine oils and lubricants on the pavement.

• Limit activities that might increase the potential of joint clogging.

• Limit, where possible, frequent heavy vehicle use of the pavement; for example, do not increase bus traffic, do not designate as a truck route, and limit the roadway use for construction detours.

• Avoid the use of deicing chemicals and winter sand.

• Take caution during street cleaning where power-washing equipment is used. Prevent the removal of joint filler material.

References AASHTO. 2001. Pavement Management Guide, AASHTO Joint Task Force on Pavements. ISBN-1-56051-155-9. American

Replenish aggregate in joints

As needed

Repair areas exhibiting horizontal creep exceeding 1.1 cm

Annually; repair as needed

Replace missing pavers. A geotechnical investigation is recommended for pavement heaves.

Annually; repair as needed

Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Washington DC. ASTM E2840-11. Standard Practice for Pavement Condition Index Surveys for Interlocking Concrete Roads and Parking Lots.

American Society of Testing and Materials International.

West Conshohocken, PA. Ferguson, B. K. 2005. Porous Pavements: Integrative Studies in Water Management and Land Development. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. ICPI. 2011. Smith, D. R. Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements, Design, Specification, Construction and Maintenance. Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, Herndon, VA. NCDENR 2012. Stormwater Best Practice Manual. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Raleigh, NC. USEPA. 2010. Surface Infiltration Rates of Permeable Surfaces: 6 Month Update. Washington DC. David K. Hein, P. Eng., is a principal engineer with Applied Research Associates Inc. in Toronto, ON.

Figure 12. Left: Paver removal equipment, Right: Closeup stormh2o.com | January/February 2016

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MS4 Community Education, Outreach, and Involvement Through Art

BY ELIZABETH ARCENEAUX AND SHAWN WOLFSHOHL

T

his article presents the methods and results of an art contest held by the city of San Marcos and Texas State University from June through December 2013, one year prior to the issuance of two Phase II municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits. Although the city and university applied for two separate permits, they agreed to share minimum control measure #1, public education, outreach, and involvement. Leadership in both entities understood the importance of working together on a shared community outreach program to provide a common message for protecting the unique San Marcos River watershed. The purpose of the art contest was to involve the community

with a challenge: to create a unique design for the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storm drain covers that could be cast in steel and would show the connection of the drainage system to the river and creeks. The exercise of explaining this concept to the target audience, judges, and general community provided a broad opportunity for stormwater awareness and education. In all, 64 entries were received and five prizes were awarded. The final design was a combination of art by two artists and was chosen by both the city and university. It became a campus and city standard for all new covers for development throughout the city and campus. The first covers were placed on new city drains in July 2014 and later at Texas State University in March

Figure 1. CoSM urbanized area and Texas State boundaries (US Bureau of Census Urban Area Reference Maps 2010)

40

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2015. The contest was a jumpstart to the city’s and university’s stormwater awareness programs and was successful at uniting the two communities for a common cause of care for the river.

Introduction

attention to the storm drain system and remind citizens of the direct connection that the storm drain system has to the river, in the same way that an inlet marker or stencil would.

The final storm drain manhole cover design has been well received by the university and the residents of San Marcos.

The competition was developed by the Public Services Department, Transportation Division, within the CoSM and by the Environmental Health Safety and Risk Management (EHSRM) office at Texas State.

San Marcos, TX, is located in south central Texas between Austin and San Antonio along the IH-35 corridor. The city was designated by the US Census Bureau in 2013 and 2014 as the fastest-growing midsize city with a population over 50,000 in the United States due to the rapid growth Methods shown over the past years. The city was also classified as Getting Started. The idea for this project came about durthe only new urbanized area in Texas in 2010 (Figure 1), ing joint meetings between the CoSM and Texas State conand with this designation San Marcos became regulated cerning the MS4 permit. Once the idea had taken root and under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System each entity agreed to move forward with it, we contacted (TPDES) stormwater regulations. Midsize and small munici- TCEQ for approval. We wanted the blessing of TCEQ palities in urbanized areas are regulated under the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Phase II MS4 general permit.

Texas State University is located within the city’s urbanized area (Figure 1) and also became subject to the Phase II MS4 general permit along with San Marcos. Both the city of San Marcos (CoSM) and Texas State are unique urbanized areas because they are located in a sensitive area, the upper San Marcos River watershed. The San Marcos River is a springfed river and is home to five species protected by the Endangered Species Act: the Texas blind salamander, the San Marcos salamander, the fountain darter, the San Marcos gambusia, and Texas wild rice. The river is also classified for recreational water use and as a drinking water source by the TCEQ. Because of its crystal clear, constantly flowing waters, it is a major tourist and resident attraction for both entities.

For all of these reasons, it is critically important to protect the water quality and the river itself from the effects of urbanization and pollution. In a joint effort, the CoSM and Texas State agreed to share minimum control measure one (MCM-1) of the MS4 permit, which covers public education, outreach, and involvement. The intent of this shared MCM is to spread a unified message to the city’s residents and the university’s students, through educational efforts and volunteer opportunities that provide protection to the river and its tributaries. These opportunities are meant to raise the public’s awareness of the potential threat to water quality in the upper San Marcos River watershed while promoting pollution prevention and common sense techniques that everyone can do to protect the river.

We chose as our first joint project an art competition to design a new storm drain manhole cover, to be cast in steel, which will be installed on all new construction projects and retrofit Figure 2. Raindrop display of artwork at the San Marcos projects. The intent of the new cover is to draw Activity Center, November 2013 stormh2o.com | January/February 2016

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because neither entity was officially designated as an MS4, but we each wanted to receive credit for the contest in our stormwater management program. After receiving approval, the next step was to investigate what projects of this nature had been done within the CoSM and among other communities. We found that art competitions had been used by the CoSM for water conservation education and outreach, sustainability, and green living, among others. The CoSM water conservation coordinator led us through a process for art contests that included promotion, collecting the artwork, judging the entries, and selecting and recognizing the winners. We found no examples, however, where the city and university had conducted joint projects of this nature. We also found few examples of using art competitions to promote stormwater awareness.

The most relevant contest we found for stormwater awareness was done by the city of Springfield, MO, in 2007

Figure 3. Winning Center artwork

when it held an art contest to design a new storm drain manhole cover. The city’s objective was to draw attention, through art, to the fact that stormwater drains from streets and lawns to rivers and creeks, untreated. That art contest served as a good model for our project, and the staff at the Springfield Public Works Department provided useful guidelines and assistance to us during the process.

Advertising and Promoting. To

begin the art contest, we developed a flier that we hoped would be eye catching and contain information that would encourage the community to participate in this project. The flier for the art contest became the first method of stormwater education and outreach that we had ever developed as an educational tool to be distributed communitywide. It provided a stormwater message about the effects of runoff to the river and creeks, as well as basic information about who could enter, the deadline for submittal, and where to submit the entries. We received and incorporated comments from the San Marcos Arts Commission and the Texas State Art and Design department to clarify the content and information conveyed with the flier.

The competition was open to anyone who lived, worked, or attended school in San Marcos, including Texas State students. Those eligible were divided into different age groups: 10 and under, 11 to 13, 14 to 18, and over 18, with a monetary prize for the winner of each category.

We kicked off the competition in early September 2013 by providing a press release and the flier to our community relations departments to distribute through local newspapers and social media outlets. The city and university community relations departments worked well together to promote the contest and were valuable assets for promoting participation and drawing attention to water-quality issues and runoff.

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interest remained. To have a successful outcome, we needed a number of entries. Additional press releases were sent to all media outlets as a reminder of contest deadlines. As the deadline neared, the entries started arriving at the Public Services’ office.

Each entry was assigned a unique number and logged into a file that kept track of the name, address, and age of the artist. In all, 64 entries were received. The entries were divided

into the age groups designated by the contest rules, copied, attached to a scoring sheet, and placed in three-ring binders (eight identical binders for eight judges). This step took more time than anticipated as some of the work did not copy well and adjustments were made to represent each piece as clearly as possible. The time between receiving the entries and submitting the binders to the judges was only one week, so efficiency and teamwork

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The kickoff date coincided with the early months of the fall semester for public schools and university students. The community was given until November 1 to submit entries to the CoSM Public Services Department’s Transportation Division. This timing was based on guidance we received from art teachers in the public schools and the university’s art department for optimal student participation. We submitted informative letters to the public, private, and homeschool art teachers describing in more detail the intent of the art competition and requirements and containing links to stormwater awareness curricula. We were amazed by the different means of advertising the contest, which included: • Press releases to the local newspaper and university paper • Radio interviews with the contest organizers on the university radio station • Posts to the city and university websites and Facebook and Twitter pages • Use of the university intranet to instantaneously announce the contest to approximately 40,000 employees and students on campus • Intranet press release to approximately 500 CoSM staff • San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Web postings and Intranet • Posting of the fliers in many local businesses, coffee shops, public places, university bulletin boards, K-12 schools, churches, etc.

Each method of promotion included the message of stormwater awareness and why we were trying to draw attention to and differentiate the storm drain covers from other utility covers (telecom, sanitary sewer, steam, etc.) and why this difference is so important to the environment. The art contest was a fun and friendly method of bringing this topic into everyday conversation and classroom discussions.

Receiving the Entries. During the six-week contest period, both the CoSM and Texas State stayed in contact with the art teachers, professors, and Arts Commission who had links to local artists, to ensure that progress was being made and the

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between Texas State and the CoSM was critical.

Also during this time, each entry was scanned to an electronic file and posted on the CoSM and Texas State websites. A public display of the entries was hung in the San Marcos Activity Center for several weeks. The display consisted of each 6-inch manhole cover art mounted to a blue, gray, or green raindrop shape and hung by clear line from an elevated beam. The effect was as if manhole covers were raining down out of the sky with artwork depicting the river, runoff, and the connection between the two. Informational signage about the art competition was hung among the raindrops (Figure 2) and formed another means of providing education and outreach on stormwater awareness to the general public. The raindrop display appeared as a press release in the local newspaper.

Judging and Selecting. Eight judges were selected to represent the city, county, public, and university interests. The selection of the judges was a collaborative effort among the CoSM and Texas State, who sought parties that had an interest in the outcome of the project, understanding of the intent of the project, and an eye for art. Judges were sent a letter from the CoSM describing the requirements for scoring the entries. The letter also provided a description of stormwater and its effects on the river from urbanized areas. This letter and judging exercise allowed for thoughtful ownership of the stormwater program objec-

inar! b e W New

tives and possible buy-in to the protection message by those considered influential. The judges included top city directors, elected city and county officials, university directors of marketing, and local art-minded business owners.

The four criteria for scoring the artwork were • Originality of the artwork • Uniqueness to San Marcos • Content showing a water-quality message of how protecting our local waters begins at the storm drain • Overall appearance, pleasing to the eye Each criterion was valued from 0 to 25 points, with a perfect score of 100. As the judges returned their graded notebooks, the scores were entered into a spreadsheet by the event organizers, and the averages of the eight judges’ scores were calculated and sorted by age group. The numerical scoring process was a method to reduce the 64 entries to a manageable number of four semifinalists within each age group.

This step also was challenging because the time to receive and summarize the judges’ notebooks, in preparation for phase two of judging, was only a matter of days.

Once again teamwork among the city and university event organizers was critical.

The second step of the judging process was a collaborative open discussion of the artwork among the eight judges. For this step, a representative from EJ USA, the foundry that would eventually cast the winning design,

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was present to evaluate the art in terms of its in July 2014 and the first for Texas State in suitability for casting to steel covers. The March 2015. Of course, both events were semifinalists for each age category were published in the local newspaper and displayed in a PowerPoint slide show on the CoSM and Texas State websites and openly discussed by the judges with an environmental message. using the criteria stated above. The discussions were lively and enjoyable, Lessons Learned and the room was filled with their Upon completion of the project, we comments and observations, each were able to look back and reflect viewed through different life experion the art contest and think of ences. At the end of the discussion a what went right and what could be blind vote was taken and the winner, improved on. We wanted to improve based on majority vote, was announced the process for ourselves and others and posted on a separate board. wanting to host a contest for stormwater Figure 5. Combined artwork for final This process was repeated for each awareness. The following are lessons of the age categories. In some cases the winning design learned from our art contest. votes tied and the discussions would What went well: reopen and repeat. By the end of about an hour, five final• We got to know our audience by talking with art ists remained. The final selection had the judges going back teachers, professors, school district public relations and forth until one design floated to the top. It was coupled staff, and Arts Commission board members to learn with a second design that was very well liked, but not the best timing for maximum student participation entirely capable of being cast into steel and community interest during a busy school year.

(Figures 3 and 4).

We learned to start right after Labor Day and finish The end result was a combination of the two designs before the winter break in December. to form a composite design approved by all judges. The • We maximized the education and outreach effect of winning designs were a San Marcos River salamander with the art contest by having many press releases, radio a friendly water-quality message, “Remember your friends interviews, and social media postings utilizing the in the water,” surrounded by an outer rim of river animals.

Figure 5 shows the combined designs.

Awards and Post-Event Activities. Within one day following the judging in December, the winning artists were contacted by phone with the news. The winners in the K-12 schools were given “big” checks at their schools and photographed with the event coordinators. At the junior high school, the band and choir performed for the event. All of the winners in the four categories were again awarded the “big” checks in the CoSM Council chambers, and multiple press releases were published in the local newspaper. The CoSM brought the winners back to council chambers for a city proclamation in late January to proclaim that January 21, 2014, was Art and the Environment Day. The three winners in the 14 to 18 and over-18 categories were all Texas State students. The Texas State Department of Engineering Technology gave the students a tour of its foundry and demonstrated the casting process by pouring 6-inch bronze medallions of the cover design.

The students were awarded the polished medallions in a ceremony that was published in the Texas State quarterly magazine for alumni, called Hillviews.

All 64 entrants were mailed a certificate of appreciation signed by the director of the EHSRM department and director of the Public Services Department, and the eight judges were mailed thank you letters. With each of these methods of recognition and appreciation, the importance of the created designs was tied back to the message of protecting the water quality of the river by limiting pollutants that enter it through the storm drain system.

The first storm drain cover for the CoSM was installed stormh2o.com | January/February 2016

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resources and media of both the city and university.

• We had eight judges who provided a diversity of experience and knowledge.

• We had a formal city proclamation with top managers including the mayor, city manager, and division and department managers in honor of the winning artists for each age group. The artists and city and university officials

were able to state the significance of the art contest in relation to protection of the river, and this meeting was televised to the San Marcos community.

• We reached a broad audience, including the influential people stated above, by centering stormwater education on a fun art project.

Room for improvement: • Develop a general stormwater awareness presentation to give to

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the art classes in K-12 schools to provide more background information to the students.

Involve other departments within the city and university to provide more resources and skills and to distribute the tasks.

Hire or use a staff graphic designer to develop the flier.

Preplan the contest from beginning to end prior to launching: Create templates for the judging spreadsheet, tally sheets, and certificates of accomplishment; copy art entries for the judges’ notebooks as they arrive; and write basic press releases and proclamation notices, leaving blanks to add in detail.

Partner graphic art students at Texas State with any K-12 students wanting assistance to take the younger person’s concept art idea to a graphic design level to “even out the playing field.”

Ask for more involvement from the commercial foundry’s art department and products staff to provide clarifications on the qualities of the design to be cast-ready and provide examples of existing artistic storm drain covers conveying a stormwater protection message.

Have a larger ceremony for the winning artists to include a broader audience.

Have patience: The time between the selecting the winners and the arrival of the covers for installation can take up to six months.

Conclusions In summary, this contest was very successful and was well received by the San Marcos community. It can serve as a model for other communities to use if they choose this method of outreach.

Communities that would like to hold a similar contest can expect good results if they follow a few basic guidelines: • Know your audience. You can’t

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•

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Acknowledgements The authors thank the following people and companies for their assistance on this project. Without their guidance, experience, and insight, the project would have been much more difficult.

• Jan Klein, water conservation coordinator, city of San Marcos, gave us the basic structure for the art contest based on her successful experiences with similar contests.

• Carrie Lamb, water quality coordinator, city of Springfield, guided rollout and judging steps and provided overall support of our effort.

• EJ USA sales representatives

Russell Durst and Dan Weidner promoted the idea of unique artwork on storm drain covers.

• EJ USA distribution center manager David Plesher, with the Ardmore, OK, foundry arranged a tour of the process and showed many examples of designs on steel covers.

• Colleen Cook, stormwater specialist for EHSRM, Texas State University, carried out the laborintensive tasks of the contest

including copying; binding; entering data; and creating tally sheets, certificates of appreciation, raindrop public display, “big” checks, and other award-related props.

Elizabeth (Lisa) Arceneaux P.E., CISEC, CPESC, is an environmental engineer with Texas State University’s Environmental Health Safety and Risk Management office. Shawn Wolfshohl, CMS4S, is the stormwater systems manager for the city of San Marcos, TX.

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expect to have good results if you can’t reach the intended audience.

A large portion of our audience was students. For us, this meant timing was important for public school and university participation.

Preplan. Preplan as much of the event as you possibly can. The more you plan in the beginning, the less burdened you will feel towards the end of the event.

Partner and collaborate. Work with as many city departments, university departments, civic groups, commissions, school districts, etc. as you can. This collaborative process not only spreads your message, but with buy-in, you will develop a team of people who want to see a successful outcome and will work hard to achieve it.

Maximize your opportunities.

Opportunities for education exist everywhere. Be creative and use everything available to you to spread your message. This may include older forms of communication such as posters and press releases, or newer methods like Facebook and Twitter. Remember, “Know your audience.” If you can’t reach them, you can’t educate them.

Include experts. Don’t be afraid to use an expert. Not only will the final result of your project be better, but you will have a lot fewer headaches.

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SHOWCASE

BORGERT PRODUCTS

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In the US, continuing development increases impervious areas; therefore, an increase in stormwater management is required. The current conditions have resulted in problems from poor water quality to frequent flooding and erosion issues. Current infrastructures are over-burdened and costly to expand. As a solution for managing stormwater, Borgert Products developed and patented a permeable pavement system called FiltraPave (Patent# 737,465/737,466).

The FiltraPave system is designed to remove surface water runoff and its pollutants, eliminating the need for costly expansion to infrastructure and wasteful detention ponds. FiltraPave controls the water while serving as walkways, plazas, parking lots, or streets.

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Brentwood is extending its stormwater product line with the introduction of the StormTank Arch to provide a solution for large-footprint, subsurface stormwater management projects. The Arch offers a cost-effective means of promoting infiltration for commercial and recreational applications, in addition to maximizing developmental space. Commonly installed under parking lots, parks, and athletic fields, the Arch system is capable of storing a large volume of water while maintaining a low profile. The Arch features structural rib end panels, which are molded to provide system strength, and interlocking end corrugates to allow for overlapping and easy installation.

Aqua-Aerobic Cloth Media Filtration is an economical and efficient option for the treatment of stormwater at wastewater treatment plants or remote locations. The unique OptiFiber cloth filtration media is engineered to accommodate varying flows and characteristics of stormwater and effectively removes total suspended solids without the use of chemicals. The unit has a small footprint and is mechanically designed to handle grit and scum. Additional benefits include a low-energy backwash system, easy startup, and low maintenance. The filter can also be used for tertiary treatment between rain events.

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ShowCase is based on information supplied by manufacturers. Some manufacturers did not respond to requests for information. Publication of materials received is subject to editing and availability.

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BLOCKSOM & CO. BIO-MICROBICS INC. Bio-Microbicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dRain Joint is a simple, green alternative stormwater filtered drain for hard surfaces. As an exterior, linear filter drain for impervious surfaces, the dRain Joint puts filtered rainwater in the underneath gravel detention area of the pavement, increasing the usable surface and eliminating costly stormwater drainage infrastructure. www.biomicrobics.com

Inlet Filter is a value-priced BMP for stormwater inlet protection during the construction phase. The versatile coir-fiber mat attaches easily to hundreds of grate styles making installation quick and easy. Customers can sweep the sides and top surface to maintain, even through standing water. Pads or rolls can be cut to size with a knife or scissors onsite for best fit and to allow overflow where regulations permit. www.blocksom.com/sedimenterosioncontrol_ moreinfo.htm

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SHOWCASE

PINE HALL BRICK CO.

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St. John’s Home in Rochester, NY, is a long-term community for the elderly. To avoid runoff, the home used StormPave permeable clay pavers in the newly constructed courtyard. Stormwater can remain under the pavers as it slowly dissipates back into the soil. Water can also be used to irrigate the rain gardens in and around the courtyard.

With Greyline Instruments’ products, customers can monitor flow through open channels, partially full sewer pipes, and surcharged pipes without a flume or weir. The new MantaRay Portable AreaVelocity flowmeter is designed for monitoring stormwater, sewage, industrial effluent, irrigation water, and natural streams.

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SOLINST CANADA LTD. Solinst Canada Ltd. has now released a new version of the Solinst Levelogger App that is compatible with Android smart devices. The Solinst Levelogger App makes water level data collection and sharing, as well as programming Levelogger dataloggers in the field, convenient and efficient. With the Levelogger App Interface, Bluetooth wireless technology allows connectivity from a Levelogger to a smartphone or tablet. The Levelogger App Interface simply threads onto the end of a Levelogger's Direct Read Cable, or an Adaptor, and is paired with the smart device running the Solinst Levelogger App. The Solinst Levelogger App is available free to download on Google Play. www.solinst.com/products/dataloggersand-telemetry/3001-levelogger-series/ solinst-levelogger-app

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RAINWISE INC. The original RainWise RainLOGTM rainfall data logger set the standard for reliable, low-cost rain data gathering in a simple, easyto-use turnkey package. The next generation RainLOGTM 2.0 with enhanced technology features USB connectivity, common 2 x AAA battery power source for a full year of continuous operation, 2 MB of Non-volatile Flash Memory for years of rainfall data storage, free comprehensive software, and a 2-year warranty. It’s also compatible with all manufacturer tipping bucket rain gauges. www.rainwise.com

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PLASTIC SOLUTIONS INC. The SMARTROLL Handheld systems combine industry-leading water quality sensors with revolutionary smartphone mobility, eliminating the need for bulky, expensive, handheld meters. Simply connect the SMARTROLL Multiparameter or RDO Probe to an iOS Battery Pack or Android Power Pack, launch the mobile app, and start reading results: no warm-up time or tedious setup. The mobile app guides the user through spot checks, calibrations, and data management. Real-time results can be e-mailed from the field, logged to a smartphone, or exported on the spot.

Plastic Solutions Inc. was founded in 1997 with the vision to supply structural plastic trash racks to the stormwater management industry. Since then, a significant amount of research and development has gone into product testing—including load testing, UV resistance, flammability, resin additives, and water flow restriction requirements—all with excellent results. Today, Plastic Solutions supplies high-quality, industry-leading trash racks, and also sells HDPE pipe, HDPE fittings, ChamberMaxx pipe, PVC pipe, plastic catch and drain basins, and plastic sheet goods.

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SHOWCASE

BELGARD COMMERCIAL Centrifugally cast, fiberglass-reinforced, polymer mortar HOBAS pipe is suitable for new construction and rehab of critical installations including storm and sanitary sewers, potable water, and corrosive environments. HOBAS manufactures pressure and gravity pipe in diameters ranging from 18 to 126 inches with leakfree push-together joints that speed installation and reduce costs.

It is ideal for a variety of installation methods including sliplining and other trenchless methods, open cut and aboveground.

Belgard Commercial interlocking concrete pavers and segmental retaining walls are the best in the business. As part of the Oldcastle Architectural Group, the largest concrete products manufacturer in North America, Belgard Commercial offers a level of service and consistency that no other supplier can match. The combination of local market presence and national capabilities allows the company to meet and exceed the demanding needs of an ever-changing industry. And, its expertise on a variety of commercial site solutions makes it a valuable resource for partners in the commercial construction industry.

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Designing Effective Roadway Sediment Containment Systems Jerald Fifield, Ph.D., CISEC, CPESC, & Tina Wills, PE, CISEC, CPESC, HydroDynamics Inc.

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Evaluating Erosion, Sediment, & Sedimentation in Roadway Projects Jerald Fifield, Ph.D., CISEC, CPESC, & Tina Wills, PE, CISEC, CPESC, HydroDynamics Inc.

January/February 2016 | stormh2o.com

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10 Simple Strategies for Achieving Environmental Compliance and Big Profits at the Same Time Jennifer Hildebrand

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SHOWCASE

STORMCHAMBER

The Stewart-Amos Galaxy R-6XL deep cleans road surfaces. Its full-featured regen street sweeper requires non-CDL. The hopper is constructed of replaceable bolt-together stainless steel panels.

There is a five-year, no rust through factory warranty. Its large, top-mounted cleanout door makes hopper cleaning fast, easy, and safe. Each unit is extremely fuel-efficient, low-maintenance, and easy to operate.

HydroLogic Solutions, manufacturer of StormChambers, in conjunction with the Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, has obtained a grant from the Virginia DOT to provide Boy Scouts with onsite learning experiences on stormwater management. The grant is associated with the expansion of the I-95 express lanes in Northern Virginia. The Boy Scouts will learn about stormwater effects on the Chesapeake Bay with boat tours by Chesapeake Watermen. They will experience the source of those effects with visits to construction sites within the I-95 express lane expansion corridor as well as participate in the installation of stormwater management BMPs being installed by Angler Environmental.

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WATERSHED GEO Innovative design is a hallmark of the Triton Stormwater Solutions’ system, and nowhere is this more evident than in the Main Header Row. Triton’s Main Header Row can be utilized as part of a treatment train or by itself. Treating the stormwater in the Main Header Row allows for longer service life and targeted pollutants, such as hydrocarbons, which can be captured if used in conjunction with the Triton Reusable Filter Media Puck system. Because the sediment is captured in the Main Header Row, routine cleaning is confined to this single row of chambers, eliminating the costly cleaning of the distribution rows.

HydroTurf Advanced Revetment Technology is an economical, environmentally friendly erosion armoring technology, designed to reduce construction and long-term maintenance costs. It combines engineered synthetic turf with a high-friction geomembrane that are locked into place with the high-strength HydroBinder infill.

This technology offers the best of both worlds—the environmental and aesthetic benefits of vegetation, as well as the performance and maintenance benefits of hard armor. With superior erosion control, pointedly less turbidity, and significantly less maintenance, HydroTurf eliminates the headaches of traditional vegetative erosion control systems. It is also a more sustainable solution with a lower carbon footprint than other hard armor revetment systems.

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1-877- 867- 6872 www.stormtrap.com Copyright © 2011 StormTrap. StormTrap, SingleTrap and DoubleTrap are registered trademarks of StormTrap.

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ADVERTISER’S INDEX COMPANY

URL

PAGE

American Peat Technology LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.americanpeattech.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 AP/M Permaform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.permaform.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Best Management Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bmpinc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Clearwater Solutions Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.clearwaterbmp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Contech Engineered Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.conteches.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4 Crumpler Plastic Pipe Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cpp-pipe.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 ENPAC LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.enpacgroup.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Envirocert International Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.envirocertintl.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Greyline Instruments Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.greyline.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 IN-SITU Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.in-situ.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Invisible Structures Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.invisiblestructures.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 J.W. Faircloth & Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.fairclothskimmer.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Johnston North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.johnstonnorthamerica.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Modular Wetlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.modularwetlands.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) . . www.nodigshow.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Oldcastle Stormwater Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.oldcastlestormwater.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2 Pine Hall Brick Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pinehallbrick.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Plastic Solutions Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.plastic-solution.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Presto Products Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.prestogeo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 StormChamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.stormchambers.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 StormTrap LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.stormtrap.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 The Strong Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.strongseal.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Tymco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.tymco.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Uni-Group USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.uni-groupusa.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 56

January/February 2016 | stormh2o.com

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Nashville Greening nology LiDAR Tech ir y Pipe Repa Emergenc

D I G I TA L 12/17/15 12:16 PM

READER PROFILE

James Pollum

BY CAROL BRZOZOWSKI

J

ames Pollum, a civil engineer focusing on environmental hydrology for the Philadelphia Water Department’s stormwater credits and billing program, says “It would be great if people one day viewed stormwater like they view electricity. You turn off the lights when you leave the room to save electricity. We should be using green infrastructure to protect our rivers and streams in regard to stormwater. We have a long way to go, but in the past decade, stormwater has become a focal point in the engineering world and in the public eye.”

Pollum spoke about public-private partnerships at StormCon last August in Austin, TX—in particular, those related to the city’s Green City, Clean Waters program. Some 66% of the city is served by a combined sewer system, where sewage and stormwater share pipes going to the treatment plant. While there is no problem during dry spells or average rainfall, “during large rainfall events, treatment plants are unable to maintain the load coming in, so we get untreated sewage and stormwater flowing into our rivers and streams. Given Philadelphia’s history of a fragile stream network, our goal with Green City, Clean Waters is to reduce overflows by mitigating runoff throughout the city and in the combined sewer overflow area,” notes Pollum.

Begun in 2011, the program aims to “green” 10,000 acres —or one-third—of the city’s combined sewer area. There are three ways to achieve that, including public retrofits, says Pollum.

A second is the city’s requirement that all new and redevelopments manage the first inch of runoff onsite. The third method involves two programs to incentivize private retrofits. The Stormwater Management Incentives Program (SMIP) provides grants to nonresidential property owners wanting to retrofit their properties to manage stormwater that would otherwise end up in the sewer system and waterways. Grant recipients get financial assistance for system design and implementation and lower stormwater fees for generating less runoff from their properties.

The city likes it because it can get greened acres at a reasonable cost, says Pollum, pointing out the partnership’s mutual benefit.

The other program is the Green Acre Retrofit Program (GARP), which provides stormwater grants to contractors or project aggregators who can build large-scale stormwater retrofit projects across multiple properties.

What He Does Day to Day In addition to his involvement in the Green City, Clean Waters programs, Pollum assists his team with the city’s stormwater accounts. He’s the designated “phone guy,” answering inquiries about stormwater bills. “Sometimes they want to complain.

Sometimes they want to know what they can do to lower it, and that’s the genesis of a potential retrofit,” notes Pollum.

What Led Him to This Line of Work Fascinated with tall bridges and buildings, Pollum had always wanted to be a civil engineer. During his junior year at Temple University, he pursued the environmental side, inspired by a professor who talked about urban stormwater management.

“I realized you can make a difference by getting into stormwater management,” says Pollum. He earned a B.S. in civil and environmental engineering from Temple University in 2010, did some traveling, and honed his GIS skills at a part-time job with 58

the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection before joining Philadelphia’s Water Department in 2012.

What He Likes Best About His Work Pollum, a lifelong Philadelphia resident, loves the city and being an “ambassador” for the Green City, Clean Waters program. “It’s nationally renowned,” he notes. “I like explaining what we’re doing and why it’s a good thing. I like that I get to see these projects from their genesis to their completion.”

His Biggest Challenge Reaching the goal of greening 10,000 acres in 25 years is the biggest challenge, says Pollum. While the city has met its benchmarks to date, there’s a move afoot to increase the rate through the GARP program. “It’s an aggregated approach, a minimum 10 acres of impervious area,” says Pollum. “We were so excited to get structures in the ground that we didn’t think about how they should be maintained. We started an inspection program to make sure that not only are they being maintained, but they’re being functional and if they’re not functioning, is it bad installation? Poor maintenance? A mix of the two? That’s a learning curve as well.”

Carol Brzozowski specializes in topics related to stormwater and technology.

January/February 2016 | stormh2o.com

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Everyone that monitors stormwater—or supervises those who do—should get this book!

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