Establishing Storm-Water BMP Evaluation Metrics Based upon Ambient Water Quality Associated with Benthic Macroinvertebrate Populations
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 5
Abstract
Storm-water experts agree that the currently used best management practice (BMP) percent removal methodology metric has many flaws, and some have suggested using a BMP effluent concentration metric. This case study examines establishing an effluent target concentration for BMPs that relates to the health of macroinvertebrates in the receiving water. In North Carolina, 193 ambient water quality monitoring stations were paired with benthic macroinvertebrate health ratings collected in very close proximity. Water quality for the sites ranged from excellent to poor and was divided into three distinct ecoregions: Mountain, Piedmont, and Coastal. Statistically significant relationships were found in one or more ecoregions for dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, , , total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). BMPs can then be selected and designed to meet these target effluent concentrations. Based upon this research, a development, and therefore set of BMPs, in Piedmont North Carolina could be required to release TN and TP effluent concentrations of 0.99 mg/L and 0.11 mg/L, respectively. These concentrations are both associated with “good” benthos health. The new method was most effective in the Piedmont ecoregion, however with more data collection, the Mountain and Coastal ecoregions may also benefit.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) for funding this research. The writers are grateful for the manuscript reviews provided by Dr. Greg Jennings and Mrs. Trisha Moore of NC State University.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 5 • May 2010
Pages: 535 - 541
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 24, 2009
Accepted: Oct 26, 2009
Published online: Oct 31, 2009
Published in print: May 2010
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