Bioretention Impact on Runoff Temperature in Trout Sensitive Waters
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 8
Abstract
A study was conducted in western North Carolina, along the southeastern extent of the U.S. trout populations, to examine the effect of bioretention areas on runoff temperature. Four bioretention areas were monitored during the summers of 2006 and 2007. It was found that smaller bioretention areas, with respect to the size of their contributing watershed, were able to significantly reduce both maximum and median water temperatures between the inlet and outlet. The proportionately larger bioretention areas were only able to significantly reduce maximum water temperatures between the inlet and outlet; however, these systems showed evidence of substantial reductions in outflow quantity, effectively reducing the thermal impact. Despite temperature reductions, effluent temperatures still posed a potential threat to coldwater streams during the peak summer months. During the summer months, effluent temperatures were generally coolest at the greatest soil depths, supporting evidence of an optimum drain depth between 90 and 120 cm. The ability of bioretention areas to reduce storm-water temperature and flows supports their application to reduce the thermal impacts of urban storm-water runoff.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the North Carolina Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR), Division of Water Quality. The writers thank Jonathan Smith, Dr. Dan Willits, Dr. Garry Grabow, Dr. Aziz Amoozegar, Jon Calabria, Allen Caldwell, Eric Caldwell, Seth Nagy, and Jason Zink, all of whom are currently or formerly of N.C. State University, for their assistance in selecting research sites and support throughout the project.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 8 • August 2009
Pages: 577 - 585
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 20, 2008
Accepted: Nov 11, 2008
Published online: Jul 15, 2009
Published in print: Aug 2009
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