Assessment of Existing and Potential Volume Reduction for Post Construction Stormwater Management
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations require the implementation of post construction stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) into the design on many construction projects for post construction runoff. Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) Location and Design (L&D) Manual Volume 2 outlines several BMPs that have been approved by the Ohio EPA for use on publicly funded transportation projects. For many construction projects, ODOT must incorporate a post construction stormwater BMP into the design according to the requirements of Ohio EPA's Construction General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit. The post construction BMP requirements vary depending on the size and type of construction project. For larger projects that add significant impervious area outside of existing right of way, ODOT must incorporate post construction BMPs that address both water quality and quantity treatment. The most likely BMPs for a transportation project in Ohio that meet those treatment requirements are detention basins and bio retention cells. While these BMPs can be effective at meeting permit requirements, they tend to have a large footprint and sometimes drive the need to acquire additional right of way area. These BMPs can also pose a safety hazard from standing water. For certain construction projects, the footprint and safety concerns can limit their applicability to meet permit requirements. Runoff that infiltrates into the ground is considered "treated" per the requirements of the Construction General NPDES Permit; however, BMPs that utilize infiltration to treat runoff must be located on HSG A or B soil types to be approved. Most soils that ODOT projects encounter are less conductive HSG C or D soil types. Currently, ODOT can only take credit for those BMPs that have been pre-approved by Ohio EPA. However, there are common features on roadway projects that likely contribute to overall volume reduction through infiltration and evapotranspiration. ODOT is not currently able to take credit towards permit compliance for these roadway features that may decrease runoff volume. Modifications to planted areas (such as soil amendments) may also be possible to increase the infiltration capacity of areas within the right-of-way. The goal of this research is to develop additional options for post construction BMPs available to ODOT projects. This will better enable ODOT to identify ways to meet regulatory requirements as efficiently as possible.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Completed
- Funding: $1359026
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Contract Numbers:
30454
135318
102133
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Sponsor Organizations:
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
Ohio Department of Transportation
Research Program
1980 West Broad Street
Columbus, OH United States 43223 -
Project Managers:
Nye, Kelly
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Performing Organizations:
2221 Schrock Rd.
Columbus, OH United States 43229 -
Principal Investigators:
Mckenback, Kari
- Start Date: 20170515
- Expected Completion Date: 20211215
- Actual Completion Date: 20211215
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Best practices; Construction projects; Infiltration; Permits; Runoff; Storms; Water quality management
- Identifier Terms: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
- Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01634594
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Ohio Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: 30454, 135318, 102133
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: May 9 2017 8:58AM