Validating Nitrogen Removal Models with Field Bioretention Data
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 8
Abstract
Bioretention is a type of stormwater best management practice that can reduce stormwater runoff volume, and with appropriate design, simultaneously reduce nitrogen loads. To meet the water quality potential of bioretention systems, improved simulation models of the transport and transformations of nitrogen are needed. In this work, two versions of a three-nitrogen-pool (3P) model (3P-1 and 3P-m) are applied to simulate observed nitrogen transport through a field bioretention system. The 3P models provide predictions of net export of dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, and inorganic nitrogen species. The 3P-m model has promising results: (1) relative to the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), it reduced the prediction error of percent removal of total dissolved nitrogen by up to 10.6% and reduces the scaled root-mean square error of total dissolved nitrogen loads by up to 53.0%; (2) it successfully captured the correlation between impactful environmental factors and event mean concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen in underdrain effluent; (3) its predictions on denitrification showed good alignment with observed isotope results; and (4) it demonstrated higher stability in simulated time series among calibration results than 3P-1. The 3P-m is expected to assist the design of bioretention system and valve control strategies by providing more accurate predictions on nitrogen removal under the impacts of soil moisture content and temperature. Future research and collaboration opportunities are also proposed in this article.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available in a repository or online in accordance with funder data retention policies. The latest code files of 3P-1 and 3P-m model are published for future research work on GitHub with the following link: https://github.com/lijiayileslie?tab=repositories. The data set used for model calibration and validation in this research is available upon request.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded as part of the National Science Foundation Grant: Award No. 1737432 (SCC-IRG Track 1: Overcoming Social and Technical Barriers for the Broad Adoption of Smart Stormwater Systems). It was also supported by the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) Project No. 413680 and the University of Virginia.
References
Bioretention. 2011. “Virginia DEQ stormwater design specification no. 9.” Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.swbmp.vwrrc.vt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/BMP-Spec-No-9_BIORETENTION_v1-9_03012011.pdf.
Böttcher, J., O. Strebel, S. Voerkelius, and H.-L. Schmidt. 1990. “Using isotope fractionation of nitrate-nitrogen and nitrate-oxygen for evaluation of microbial denitrification in a sandy aquifer.” J. Hydrol. 114 (3): 413–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(90)90068-9.
Bowes, B. D., C. Wang, M. B. Ercan, T. B. Culver, P. A. Beling, and J. L. Goodall. 2022. “Reinforcement learning-based real-time control of coastal urban stormwater systems to mitigate flooding and improve water quality.” Environ. Sci. Water Res. Technol. 8 (10): 2065–2086. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EW00582K.
Burgis, C. R., G. M. Hayes, D. A. Henderson, W. H. Zhang, and J. A. Smith. 2020a. “Green stormwater infrastructure redirects deicing salt from surface water to groundwater.” Sci. Total Environ. 729 (Aug): 138736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138736.
Burgis, C. R., G. M. Hayes, W. Zhang, D. A. Henderson, S. A. Macko, and J. A. Smith. 2020b. “Tracking denitrification in green stormwater infrastructure with dual nitrate stable isotopes.” Sci. Total Environ. 747 (Dec): 141281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141281.
Conley, D. J., H. W. Paerl, R. W. Howarth, D. F. Boesch, S. P. Seitzinger, K. E. Havens, C. Lancelot, and G. E. Likens. 2009. “Controlling eutrophication: Nitrogen and phosphorus.” Science 323 (5917): 1014–1015. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1167755.
Core Writing Team, H. Lee, and J. Romero. 2023. “IPCC, 2023: Summary for policymakers.” In Proc., Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. A Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 1–34. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.59327/IPCC/AR6-9789291691647.001.
Davis, A. P. 2008. “Field performance of bioretention: Hydrology impacts.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 13 (2): 90–95. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(2008)13:2(90).
Ding, W., H. Qin, S. Yu, and S.-L. Yu. 2022. “The overall and phased nitrogen leaching from a field bioretention during rainfall runoff events.” Ecol. Eng. 179 (Jun): 106624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106624.
Donaghue, A. G., N. Morgan, L. Toran, and E. R. McKenzie. 2022. “The impact of bioretention column internal water storage underdrain height on denitrification under continuous and transient flow.” Water Res. 214 (May): 118205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118205.
Donaghue, A. G., N. Morgan, L. Toran, and E. R. McKenzie. 2023. “In situ monitoring of internal water storage reveals nitrogen first flush phenomena, intermittent denitrification, and seasonal ammonium flushing.” J. Environ. Manage. 341 (Sep): 117957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117957.
Hammerl, V., E.-M. Kastl, M. Schloter, S. Kublik, H. Schmidt, G. Welzl, A. Jentsch, C. Beierkuhnlein, and S. Gschwendtner. 2019. “Influence of rewetting on microbial communities involved in nitrification and denitrification in a grassland soil after a prolonged drought period.” Sci. Rep. 9 (1): 2280. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38147-5.
Harris, E., et al. 2023. “Denitrifying pathways dominate nitrous oxide emissions from managed grassland during drought and rewetting.” Sci. Adv. 7 (6): eabb7118. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb7118.
Huang, L., J. Luo, L. Li, H. Jiang, X. Sun, J. Yang, W. She, W. Liu, L. Li, and A. P. Davis. 2022. “Unconventional microbial mechanisms for the key factors influencing inorganic nitrogen removal in stormwater bioretention columns.” Water Res. 209 (Feb): 117895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117895.
Kachholz, F., and J. Tranckner. 2020. “Long-term modelling of an agricultural and urban river catchment with SWMM upgraded by the evapotranspiration model UrbanEVA.” Water 12 (11): 3089. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12113089.
Kalev, S., and G. S. Toor. 2020. “Concentrations and loads of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in urban stormwater runoff.” Water 12 (4): 1031. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12041031.
Kavehei, E., B. S. Farahani, G. A. Jenkins, C. Lemckert, and M. F. Adame. 2021. “Soil nitrogen accumulation, denitrification potential, and carbon source tracing in bioretention basins.” Water Res. 188 (Jan): 116511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116511.
Kavehei, E., G. A. Jenkins, C. Lemckert, and M. F. Adame. 2019. “Carbon stocks and sequestration of stormwater bioretention/biofiltration basins.” Ecol. Eng. 138 (Nov): 227–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.07.006.
Kendall, M. G. 1938. “A new measure of rank correlation.” Biometrika 30 (1–2): 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1093/biomet/30.1-2.81.
Kerkez, B., et al. 2016. “Smarter stormwater systems.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 50 (14): 7267–7273. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05870.
Koch, B. J. 2014. “Nitrogen removal by stormwater management structures: A data synthesis.” J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 50 (6): 1594–1607. https://doi.org/10.1111/jawr.12223.
Kong, Z., H. Ma, Y. Song, X. Wang, L. Li, Y. Yuan, Z. Shao, and H. Chai. 2022. “A long term study elucidates the relationship between media amendment and pollutant treatment in the stormwater bioretention system: Stability or efficiency?” Water Res. 225 (Oct): 119124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119124.
Kratky, H., Z. Li, Y. Chen, C. Wang, X. Li, and T. Yu. 2017. “A critical literature review of bioretention research for stormwater management in cold climate and future research recommendations.” Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 11 (4): 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-017-0982-y.
Lehmann, M. F., P. Reichert, S. M. Bernasconi, A. Barbieri, and J. A. McKenzie. 2003. “Modelling nitrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation during denitrification in a lacustrine redox-transition zone.” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 67 (14): 2529–2542. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(03)00085-1.
Li, C., C. Peng, P.-C. Chiang, Y. Cai, X. Wang, and Z. Yang. 2019. “Mechanisms and applications of green infrastructure practices for stormwater control: A review.” J. Hydrol. 568 (Jan): 626–637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.074.
Li, G., J. Xiong, J. Zhu, Y. Liu, and M. Dzakpasu. 2021. “Design influence and evaluation model of bioretention in rainwater treatment: A review.” Sci. Total Environ. 787 (Sep): 147592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147592.
Li, J., and T. B. Culver. 2022. “Review of process-based nitrogen model for agricultural fields with implications for nitrogen simulations in stormwater BMPs.” Environ. Modell. Software 151 (May): 105363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2022.105363.
Li, J., T. B. Culver, P. P. Persaud, and J. M. Hathaway. 2023. “Developing nitrogen removal models for stormwater bioretention systems.” Water Res. 243 (Sep): 120381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120381.
Li, L., and A. P. Davis. 2014. “Urban stormwater runoff nitrogen composition and fate in bioretention systems.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 48 (6): 3403–3410. https://doi.org/10.1021/es4055302.
Li, Y., R. White, D. Chen, J. Zhang, B. Li, Y. Zhang, Y. Huang, and R. Edis. 2007. “A spatially referenced water and nitrogen management model (WNMM) for (irrigated) intensive cropping systems in the North China Plain.” Ecol. Modell. 203 (3): 395–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2006.12.011.
Luthy, R. G., S. Sharvelle, and P. Dillon. 2019. “Urban stormwater to enhance water supply.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 53 (10): 5534–5542. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b05913.
McCabe, K. M., E. M. Smith, S. Q. Lang, C. L. Osburn, and C. R. Benitez-Nelson. 2021. “Particulate and dissolved organic matter in stormwater runoff influences oxygen demand in urbanized headwater catchments.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 55 (2): 952–961. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c04502.
Moriasi, N. D., M. W. Gitau, N. Pai, and P. Daggupati. 2015. “Hydrologic and water quality models: Performance measures and evaluation criteria.” Trans. ASABE 58 (6): 1763–1785. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.58.10715.
Norton, R. A., J. A. Harrison, C. K. Keller, and K. B. Moffett. 2017. “Effects of storm size and frequency on nitrogen retention, denitrification, and N2O production in bioretention swale mesocosms.” Biogeochemistry 134 (3): 353–370. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-017-0365-2.
Oh, J., and M. Bartos. 2023. “Model predictive control of stormwater basins coupled with real-time data assimilation enhances flood and pollution control under uncertainty.” Water Res. 235 (May): 119825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.119825.
Pamuru, S. T., E. Forgione, K. Croft, B. V. Kjellerup, and A. P. Davis. 2022. “Chemical characterization of urban stormwater: Traditional and emerging contaminants.” Sci. Total Environ. 813 (Mar): 151887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151887.
Parker, E. A., S. B. Grant, A. Sahin, J. A. Vrugt, and M. W. Brand. 2022. “Can smart stormwater systems outsmart the weather? Stormwater capture with real-time control in southern California.” ACS ES&T Water 2 (1): 10–21. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00173.
Payne, E. G. I., T. D. Fletcher, D. G. Russell, M. R. Grace, T. R. Cavagnaro, V. Evrard, A. Deletic, B. E. Hatt, and P. L. M. Cook. 2014. “Temporary storage or permanent removal? The division of nitrogen between biotic assimilation and denitrification in stormwater biofiltration systems.” PLoS One 9 (3): e90890. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090890.
Persaud, P. P., A. A. Akin, B. Kerkez, D. T. McCarthy, and J. M. Hathaway. 2019. “Real time control schemes for improving water quality from bioretention cells.” Blue-Green Syst. 1 (1): 55–71. https://doi.org/10.2166/bgs.2019.924.
Pour, S. H., A. K. A. Wahab, S. Shahid, M. Asaduzzaman, and A. Dewan. 2020. “Low impact development techniques to mitigate the impacts of climate-change-induced urban floods: Current trends, issues and challenges.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 62 (Nov): 102373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102373.
Santhi, C., J. G. Arnold, J. R. Williams, W. A. Dugas, R. Srinivasan, and L. M. Hauck. 2001. “Validation of the SWAT model on a large RWER basin with point and nonpoint sources.” JAWRA J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 37 (5): 1169–1188. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2001.tb03630.x.
Shao, W., J. Liu, Z. Yang, Z. Yang, Y. Yu, and W. Li. 2018. “Carbon reduction effects of sponge city construction: A case study of the city of Xiamen.” Energy Procedia 152 (Oct): 1145–1151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2018.09.145.
Shen, P., A. Deletic, K. Bratieres, and D. T. McCarthy. 2020. “Real time control of biofilters delivers stormwater suitable for harvesting and reuse.” Water Res. 169 (Feb): 115257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115257.
Skorobogatov, A., J. He, A. Chu, V. Caterina, and B. van Duin. 2020. “The impact of media, plants and their interactions on bioretention performance: A review.” Sci. Total Environ. 715 (May): 136918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136918.
Søberg, L. C., M. Viklander, and G.-T. Blecken. 2021. “Nitrogen removal in stormwater bioretention facilities: Effects of drying, temperature and a submerged zone.” Ecol. Eng. 169 (Nov): 106302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106302.
Søvik, A. K., and P. T. Mørkved. 2007. “Nitrogen isotope fractionation as a tool for determining denitrification in constructed wetlands.” Water Sci. Technol. 56 (3): 167–173. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2007.529.
Tolson, B. A., and C. A. Shoemaker. 2007. “Dynamically dimensioned search algorithm for computationally efficient watershed model calibration.” Water Resour. Res. 43 (1): W01413. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005WR004723.
USDA. 1986. “USDA technical release 55 urban hydrology for small watersheds.” Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1421/ML14219A437.pdf.
USDA. 2019. “National engineering handbook Part 630 hydrology Chapter 4 storm rainfall depth and distribution.” Accessed June 28, 2023. https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/OpenNonWebContent.aspx?content=43924.wba.
Valenca, R., H. Le, Y. Zu, T. M. Dittrich, D. C. W. Tsang, R. Datta, D. Sarkar, and S. K. Mohanty. 2021. “Nitrate removal uncertainty in stormwater control measures: Is the design or climate a culprit?” Water Res. 190 (Feb): 116781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116781.
Vijayaraghavan, K., B. K. Biswal, M. G. Adam, S. H. Soh, D. L. Tsen-Tieng, A. P. Davis, S. H. Chew, P. Y. Tan, V. Babovic, and R. Balasubramanian. 2021. “Bioretention systems for stormwater management: Recent advances and future prospects.” J. Environ. Manage. 292 (Aug): 112766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112766.
Weather Underground. 2019. “Arlington, VA weather history.” Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/KDCA/date/2018-6-29.
Wells, N. S., T. J. Clough, S. E. Johnson-Beebout, B. Elberling, and W. T. Baisden. 2019. “Effects of denitrification and transport on the isotopic composition of nitrate in freshwater systems.” Sci. Total Environ. 651 (Feb): 2228–2234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.065.
Xiong, J., L. Liang, W. Shi, Z. Li, Z. Zhang, X. Li, and Y. Liu. 2022. “Application of biochar in modification of fillers in bioretention cells: A review.” Ecol. Eng. 181 (Aug): 106689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106689.
Xu, H., M. Randall, and O. Fryd. 2023. “Urban stormwater management at the meso-level: A review of trends, challenges and approaches.” J. Environ. Manage. 331 (Apr): 117255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117255.
Zhang, K., and T. F. M. Chui. 2019. “A review on implementing infiltration-based green infrastructure in shallow groundwater environments: Challenges, approaches, and progress.” J. Hydrol. 579 (Dec): 124089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124089.
Zhang, Y., A. Skorobogatov, J. He, C. Valeo, A. Chu, B. van Duin, and L. van Duin. 2023. “Mitigation of nutrient leaching from bioretention systems using amendments.” J. Hydrol. 618 (Mar): 129182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129182.
Zhang, Z., W. J. Jim, and X. Lu. 2016. “Fingerprint natural soil N2O emission from nitration and denitrification by dual isotopes (15N and 18O) and site preferences.” Acta Ecol. Sin. 36 (5): 356–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2016.05.007.
Zhang, Z., J. Li, C. Jiang, Y. Li, and J. Zhang. 2022. “Impact of nutrient removal on microbial community in bioretention facilities with different underlying types/built times at field scale.” Ecol. Eng. 176 (Mar): 106542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106542.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 1, 2023
Accepted: Mar 7, 2024
Published online: Jun 4, 2024
Published in print: Aug 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Nov 4, 2024
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.