Hydrologic Performance of a Multicell Vegetated Basin with Different Soil and Outlet Structure Characteristics
Publication: Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment
Volume 8, Issue 3
Abstract
Green stormwater infrastructure, also known as stormwater control measures (SCMs), is a sustainable solution that has been widely used in controlling stormwater runoff in developed areas. Stormwater intensity and land use control the water quality and quantity in urban areas, while soil conditions and the functionality of the outlet structure control enhancement of the water quality and quantity in vegetated basins. The soil conditions and the outlet structure are dubbed geotechnical design characteristics. These parameters impact the basin’s infiltration capacity, volume, and peak flow. In this study, a multistage basin with three cells located at the Pennypack Creek headwaters in Pennsylvania was simulated using the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). The investigated characteristics of the basin were the gate condition and pipe diameter of the outlet structure and the compaction condition of the soil. The model was calibrated considering opened- and closed-gate setup of the basin. The basin was unintentionally compacted during construction, and this compaction changed the infiltration properties of the basin from sandy loam soil (preconstruction) to sandy clay loam. After basin calibration, it was found that the closed-gate setup induced a high outflow reduction compared to the inflow. A parametric study considering both the outlet pipe diameter and soil type was conducted under both gate setups. The reduction of the outlet pipe diameter was the most effective characteristic in the outflow volume and flow peak reduction under the opened-gate setup, while the soil type was the most effective characteristic in the outflow volume and flow peak reduction under the closed-gate setup.
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Data Availability Statement
The data of the storm events and the basin’s land elevation survey, preconstruction soil exploration, outflow, and SWMM model that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the William Penn Foundation, which supported this work as part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI). The authors would also like to thank Temple University, Wetlands & Ecology, Inc., and Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the William Penn Foundation.
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Published In
Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment
Volume 8 • Issue 3 • August 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 19, 2021
Accepted: Jan 1, 2022
Published online: Mar 16, 2022
Published in print: Aug 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Aug 16, 2022
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