Factors Affecting Pollutant Load Reduction with Uncertainty Analysis in Urban Stormwater BMP Systems

Abstract:

This study incorporates uncertainty analysis into a model of the performance of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to characterize the uncertainty in stormwater BMP effluent load that results from uncertainty in the BMP performance modeling in an urban stormwater system. Detention basins are used as BMPs in the urban stormwater systems, and the total suspended solids (TSS) are used as an urban nonpoint source pollutant in Los Angeles, CA. The k-C* model, which incorporates uncertainty analysis, is applied to the uncertainty of the stormwater effluent concentration in urban stormwater systems. This study presents a frequency analysis of the runoff volume and BMP overflows to characterize the uncertainty of BMP effluent loads, and the load frequency curve (LFC) is simulated with and without BMP conditions and verified using the observed TSS load. Finally, the effects of imperviousness, BMP volume, and BMP surface area are investigated using a reliability analysis. The results of this study can be used to determine the appropriate BMP size to achieve a specific watershed runoff pollutant load. The result of this evaluation method can support the adequate sizing of a BMP to meet the defined nonpoint source pollutant regulations.

Acknowlegments

This research was supported by a grant (14AWMP-B082564-01) from Advanced Water Management Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.