CONTROLLING HIGHWAY RUNOFF POLLUTION IN DRINKING WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIR WATERSHEDS

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an innovative stormwater best management practice in treating highway runoff and protecting the integrity of the drinking water reservoir in Warrenton, Virginia. The research focused on the use of a biodetention pond, which combines the concepts of detention ponds and bioretention in an attempt to provide higher overall pollutant removal. Storm event and background concentrations were all within or below the expected range for highway runoff pollutants and below Virginia's ambient maximum contamination levels for drinking water. The majority of the pollutant removal efficiencies were below values reported in the literature for well-designed wet/dry detention ponds and bioretention areas. Concentration comparisons for one storm event indicated serious problems with sediment re-suspension or short-circuiting in the biodetention facility. Design recommendations are made to potentially improve pollutant removal in the biodetention facility, and design guidelines are offered for future biodetention pond construction. In spite of pond short-circuiting and re-suspension, the study concludes that the biodetention pond adequately protects the integrity of the Warrenton Reservoir and is an innovative alternative for treating stormwater runoff.

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• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/14230
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Transportation Research Council

  530 Edgemont Road
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22903

  Virginia Department of Transportation

  Office of Public Affairs, 1221 East Broad Street
  Richmond, VA  United States  23219

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Yu, S L
  • Langan, T E
• Publication Date: 1999-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 39 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Contaminants; Design; Detention basins; Drinking water; Guidelines; Innovation; Pollution control; Reservoirs; Runoff; Suspended sediments; Water pollution; Watersheds
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bioretention; Storm water management
• Geographic Terms: Warrenton (Virginia)
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; I26: Water Run-off - Freeze-thaw;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00789844
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/VTRC 00-R7,, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: 00021702
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 23 2000 12:00AM