Implementation and Performance of Stormwater Best Management Practice Retrofits in Wilmington, NC

Burnt Mill Creek, located within downtown Wilmington, NC, is on the EPA's 303(d) list for impairment due to urban stormwater runoff. The urban nature of the watershed presents challenges for restoration because of the varying land uses including single and multi-family residential areas, recreational parks, and commercial and industrial areas. NC State University's Watershed Education for Communities and Local Officials (WECO) coordinated a partnership, with the NC State Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, the City of Wilmington, and several other key state and local organizations and citizens groups, to obtain an EPA 319 grant that addresses stormwater management in the watershed. Community involvement has led to several retrofit BMP installations, including two bioretention cells installed in a parking lot, a stormwater wetland at a townhome community, and a stormwater wetland on City of Wilmington property. This paper describes the urban retro-fit BMPs that have been constructed and preliminary data collected at each site.