Comparing Properties of Water Absorbing/Filtering Media for Bioslope/Bioswale Design
Drainage from highways, particularly the first flush of runoff, contains high levels of contaminants such as suspended solids, metals, and organics. To restrict the discharge of polluted stormwater, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) State Disposal System (SDS) General Permit issued by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in 2013 requires that the first inch of stormwater runoff from new impervious should be held on site through infiltration, harvesting or reuse. Multiple types of infiltration materials have been studied in the laboratory and the field, but few studies have considered the application of local materials for best management practices (BMP). The objective of this project is to determine the characteristics of various naturally occurring water adsorbing and filtering media, such as peat and muck, found along road construction projects in Northern Minnesota. Salvage and reuse of these materials during road construction will be evaluated for stormwater treatment, including absorption, infiltration, filtration, and pollutant capture, in constructed vegetated slopes along highway right of ways. The naturally occurring material will be compared to leaf and grass feedstock compost. Based on the characterization results, suggestions for testing, design, implementation, and monitoring protocols for construction of an in-field pilot study will be developed for bioslopes and bioswales. The sites(s) for the real world evaluation will be determined by Dwayne Stenlund from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The utilization of local salvage materials for stormwater treatment has potential implications for future green infrastructure development, as well as reducing project cost.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $178051
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Contract Numbers:
99008 WO#189
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Sponsor Organizations:
395 John Ireland Boulevard
MS 330
Saint Paul, MN United States 55155 -
Project Managers:
Holdhusen, Bruce
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Performing Organizations:
University of Minnesota, Duluth
Swenson College of Civil Engineering
1405 University Drive
Duluth, MN United States 55812 -
Principal Investigators:
Saftner, David A.
Cai, Meijun
- Start Date: 20150423
- Expected Completion Date: 0
- Actual Completion Date: 0
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Absorption; Best practices; Contaminants; Drainage practices; Filtration; Peat; Pollution; Runoff
- Identifier Terms: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
- Geographic Terms: Minnesota; Muckleshoot Indian Reservation
- Subject Areas: Construction; Materials;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01582732
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: 99008 WO#189
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Dec 3 2015 11:57AM