Field Evaluation of Four Level Spreader–Vegetative Filter Strips to Improve Urban Storm-Water Quality
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 3
Abstract
An assessment of the performance of four level spreader–vegetative filter strip (LS-VFS) systems designed to treat urban storm-water runoff was undertaken at two sites in the Piedmont of North Carolina. At each site, a 7.6-m grassed filter strip and a 15.2-m half-grassed, half-forested filter strip were examined. Monitored parameters included rainfall, inflow to, and outflow from each LS-VFS system. A total of 21 and 22 flow-proportional water quality samples were collected and analyzed for the Apex and Louisburg sites, respectively. All studied LS-VFS systems significantly reduced mean total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations (), with the 7.6 and 15.2-m buffers reducing TSS by at least 51 and 67%, respectively. Both 15.2-m VFSs significantly reduced the concentrations of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total nitrogen (TN), organic nitrogen (Org-N), and (), whereas results were mixed for the 7.6-m VFSs. Significant pollutant mass reduction was observed () for all nine pollutant forms analyzed in Louisburg, which was caused by infiltration in the VFSs. The effects of VFS length and/or vegetation type are very important for pollutant removal, as effluent pollutant concentrations were lower (with one exception) for the 15.2-m VFSs. The median effluent concentrations for TN and total phosphorus (TP) for the four LS-VFSs were nearly always better than fair water quality benchmarks for the Piedmont of North Carolina, but only met good water quality metrics in one-half of the studied storm events.
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Acknowledgments
The writers acknowledge the U.S. EPA (319h) program administered by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources for funding this study. Thanks to Mr. Jon Hathaway and Mr. Jason Wright for their assistance in designing and monitoring the research sites. The writers appreciate the employees of Apex High School and the town of Louisburg, North Carolina for hosting the research sites. Thanks to Mr. Shawn Kennedy for his expertise in monitoring installations. The writers also acknowledge the assistance of Dr. François Birgand in data analysis. Finally, the writers appreciate the North Carolina State University Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology, which provided water quality sample analysis.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 3 • March 2011
Pages: 170 - 182
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 4, 2009
Accepted: Mar 2, 2010
Published online: Mar 8, 2010
Published in print: Mar 1, 2011
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