Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The accomplishments are listed below for each of the seven NE2206 objectives:

1. Conduct research on how to best adapt green stormwater infrastructure to address agricultural runoff

Obropta:  No activities towards this objective currently.

Houle: Activity: UNHSC has conducted research on use of amendments (zerovalent iron enhanced soil media) to reduce phosphorus from simulated agricultural runoff.  Output: a masters thesis was produced along with a calculator to estimate life cycle of media amendments.

Hurley: Activity: UVM Bioretention Lab in the Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment has constructed two different systems designed to filter runoff from dairy farm operations. One treats leachate from silage storage bunker and the other system uses bioretention to filter runoff from rooftops, paved parking areas, and both paved and gravel driveways within the farm. Output: Three previous peer-reviewed papers and three Master’s theses (in the past five years, but prior to the study period for this report). Ongoing outreach and education about the project site, including undergraduate summer research program and stakeholder tours.

1. Develop a better understanding of the relationship between green stormwater infrastructure design features and pollutant removal and volume reduction capabilities

Obropta:  No activities towards this objective currently.

Houle:  Activity: UNHSC has been an instrumental partner in developing performance curves to account for pollutant removal and volume reduction in stormwater runoff from structural and non-structural practices.  These curves are being promulgated in federal (EPA Region 1) and State (New England States) rulemaking. Output: performance curves to quantify pollutant reduction and volume reduction from 10 structural BMPs and 4 non-structural BMPs.  Short-term Outcomes:  Municipalities utilize curves to quantify implementation efforts to meet Federal, State and local permit requirements. Impacts: Currently 12 municipalities are utilizing tracking and accounting metrics to quantify benefits from implementation efforts.

McPhillips: Activity: Conducted a controlled experiment and field study on impacts of de-icing salts on water quality performance of stormwater bioretention systems, with consideration of several different system design configurations (different vegetation, hydraulics, and salt loading) Output: Findings indicate the importance of salt-tolerant vegetation for resilience to de-icers, and inclusion of internal water storage for improved water quality performance despite de-icer additions Short-term Outcomes: Dissemination of findings via presentations to Chesapeake Bay Trust Restoration Research Forum, Penn State Water Cooler Talks Series, Penn State Master Watershed Steward Network

Hurley: Activity: Ongoing research on bioretention, constructed gravel bed wetland, and other BMPs that use soil media to better develop low-phosphorus media components and reduce nutrient leaching from green infrastructure to downstream waters. Output in last two years include peer-reviewed papers specifically looking at the use of Drinking Water Treatment Residuals (DWTR) in soil media to capture soluble reactive phosphorus and DWTR potential affects on nitrogen, building on or referencing six previous papers; development of guidance for phosphorus testing for media for bioretention and gravel bed wetlands; outreach with stakeholders at state, regional, and federal agencies, as well as landscape architecture and civil engineering professionals and other trade groups and researchers. Outcomes: State of Vermont intention to adopt the phosphorus testing guidance developed for bioretention and gravel wetland media in upcoming revisions to the State Stormwater Manual.

Dietz: Activity: Prior to the commencement of this project, Dietz performed research on the effectiveness of a modified bioretention to reduce nitrogen export in an agricultural application. Output: One peer-reviewed journal article was produced https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001144  Outcomes: Article was downloaded 634 times

1. Develop new climate resilient design criteria for green stormwater infrastructure

Obropta:  Activity: Conducted a study of the Royce Brook Watershed in Somerset County, New Jersey.  Identified ten existing developments that would be suitable for retrofitting with stormwater management. Four presentation, 193 participants. Output: For five of these developments, developed preliminary designs for green infrastructure to manage the 2-year design storm.  Developed preliminary designs linking green infrastructure with other stormwater management techniques to manage the 100-year design storm that would result from climate change in 2100.  Short-term Outcomes:  Municipal seeking funding to install projects that will manage over 15 million gallons of stormwater per year.  Impacts: Project to be duplicated in Willingboro, New Jersey with $187,187 in grant funding that has been secured from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Obropta:  Activity: Develop rain garden design criteria for a water quality storm and 2-year design storm that would be more intense due to climate change.  Output: One workshop to Green Infrastructure Champions, 177 participants.  Keynote speech at Maine Stormwater Conference, 350 attendees.  Short-term Outcomes: Preparing criteria and guidance for rain garden designs to manage increase in water quality storms due to climate change so this technology can be easily adopted.

Obropta:  Activity: Incorporate climate change into green infrastructure educational programs.  Output: Incorporated a green infrastructure and climate change module into the Green Infrastructure Champions Training Program.  One workshop to Green Infrastructure Champions, 167 participants.  Short-term Outcomes: Green Infrastructure Champions will share knowledge with the 564 municipalities in New Jersey so they can adopt this design criteria.

Houle:  Activity: UNHSC is developing the updated New Hampshire stormwater manual.  The manual will advance approaches through update rainfall statistics to mitigate the aspects of climate change through green infrastructure. Output: Updated manual to oversee stormwater control measures and erosion and sediment control measures to mitigate pollution in the state of NH.  Short-term Outcomes:  Developers and other practitioners utilize science based up to date methods to mitigate pollution and build resiliency to climate change.  Impacts: The manual is due to be released in December 2024.

1. Develop a better understanding of the economics/cost effectiveness of green stormwater infrastructure and the ecosystem services that these systems provide

Obropta:  Activity: Refine cost estimates for green infrastructure. Evaluate cost-effectiveness of green infrastructure in highly urbanized areas such as Newark, Paterson, Jersey City, and Perth Amboy. Output: Developed spreadsheet for determining detailed green infrastructure cost estimates in highly urbanized areas such as Newark, New Jersey. One presentation, 23 participants. Short-term Outcomes:   Five designs were completed with detailed cost estimates.  This should allow the city to put the projects out to bid.  Impacts: $66,779 in grant funding from City of Newark. $63,753 in grant funding from the Nature Conservancy and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).  $61,594 in grant funding from Jersey City and NJDEP. $119,993 in grant funding from NJDEP. (total funding = $ 312,119)

Houle:  Activity: UNHSC published a research paper documenting the comparison of Maintenance Cost, Labor Demands, and System Performance for green infrastructure and Conventional Stormwater Management systems. Output: Research paper published, ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, Published: June 2013  Short-term Outcomes:  Researchers and other practitioners are informed about economics and life-cycle costs associated with long-term system operations. Impacts: Impacts have not been investigated however the paper has 211 downloads since 2019 and numerous citations in other publications.

McPhillips: Activity: Conducted field investigation of rain gardens in southeastern PA to evaluate multiple types of ecosystem services; developing visualizations of different benefits Output: Findings indicate enhanced infiltration and metals accumulation in the rain gardens; rain gardens with trees have enhanced heat mitigation Short-term Outcomes: Dissemination of findings via presentations to ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Congress

1. Develop Extension programming for engaging communities to implement green stormwater infrastructure to address runoff from existing development

Obropta:  Activity: Create a network of advocates knowledgeable in green infrastructure that can advocate at the local level.  Output: Developed a Green Infrastructure Champions Training Program to educate people at the local level so they can advocate for green infrastructure in their communities.  Ten sessions, approximately 170 to 225 people per session.  Short-term Outcomes: Two hundred and three people were certified last year as Green Infrastructure Champions.  Impacts: Presented at National Nonpoint Source Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 200 attendees.

Obropta:  Activity: Develop program to encourage adoption of green infrastructure.  Output: Developed a rain garden rebate program to educate homeowners and provide them designs specifically tailored to their property.  Eight presentations, 330 participants. Short-term Outcomes:  Thirty rain gardens were designed to manage approximately 600,000 gallons of stormwater runoff on an annual basis.  Impact:  $45,000 in grant funding from the Dodge Foundation and $40,000 in grant funding from New Jersey Sea Grant was secured to deliver the educational program and build demonstration projects.

Houle:  Activity: UNHSC has developed a retrofit manual to guide implementation efforts in the built environment to address permit compliance.  Output: New England Retrofit Manual was developed in June 2022.  Short-term Outcomes:  Municipalities and practitioners utilize science based up to date methods to mitigate pollution and build resiliency to climate change. Impacts: Impacts have not been investigated

Dietz & Dickson:  Activity: Provided free online access to our rain garden certificate course. The course covers stormwater background, rain garden sizing, site selection, installation and maintenance.  Output: A 7-module online rain garden course was provided. See https://clear.uconn.edu/training/uconn-clear-training-courses/rain-garden-design-installation-and-maintenance-course/  Short-term Outcomes:  To date 126 individuals have enrolled in the course. 

Sarazen: Activity: Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM partner with municipalities to offer free residential stormwater education, site assessments, and technical assistance for small-scale GSI on private property. Output: A design manual for small-scale GSI was developed by the team, it is updated annually:

https://www.uvm.edu/seagrant/sites/default/files/uploads/BLUE_BTV_BasisOfDesign_Standards_VersionV_Complete.pdf  Short-term outcome: staff have conducted over 100 residential site assessments during the reporting period and provided technical assistance for 20 small-scale GSI installations.

Sarazen: Activity: Provide extension programming to promote best practices, research findings, and collaboration between practitioners interested in green infrastructure in Vermont. Output: Hosted a green infrastructure training course Spring 2024, and hosted several local visits to MS4-managed GSI projects. Short-term outcome: over 100 practitioners have participated in Lake Champlain Sea Grant GSI events and feedback is being incorporated to host future trainings and workshops.

1. Develop curriculum to educate undergraduate and graduate students and workforce development on the planning, design, and implementation of green stormwater infrastructure

Obropta: Activity: Incorporate green infrastructure planning and design into the Rutgers Environmental Engineering Capstone Design courses. Output: Lecture created on designing rain gardens to manage climate change storms.  Two courses, 30 students.  Short-term Outcomes:  Graduating seniors were instructed on how to incorporate climate change into their green infrastructure designs.  Many of these engineers will enter the workforce where they can use this knowledge.

Obropta:  Activity: Develop green infrastructure educational workshops for master gardeners, environmental stewards, businesses, elected officials, government employees, youth groups, and urban workforce development programs.  Output:  Several workshops were developed varying in length 2-, 3-, and 4-hours. Seven presentations, 317 participants.  Impact: Two presentations at the National Urban Extension Conference, 72 attendees. Developed a better understanding of the mechanisms needed to encourage adoption of green stormwater infrastructure by residents, corporations, businesses, developers, and municipal officials

Obropta:  Activity: Incorporate green infrastructure into the South Jersey Landscape Makeover Program and Pinelands/Highlands Lakes Program to engage municipalities, businesses, houses of worship, and schools to implement rain gardens and bioswales. Output: Developed and delivered presentation, 55 attendees. Impact: One national virtual presentation for EPA, 100+ attendees.  $453,000 in grant funding from NJDEP for two different projects.

Houle:  Activity:  UNHSC in cooperation with UNH Professional Development and Training developed and administered a stormwater certification program featuring science based, technical information and research results related to the design, construction, performance and maintenance of common stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs). This workshop provides a general overview of the present and future standards with respect to stormwater management.  UNHSC research addresses the overall performance and effectiveness of a variety of stormwater BMPs to control water quantity and treat water quality. To date the UNHSC has researched over 42 different BMPs ranging from conventional ponds to manufactured subsurface filters to a broad array of Low Impact Development (or Green Infrastructure) practices.  The workshop was developed for a wide range of water resource managers, municipal decision makers and other professionals involved in the development or review of stormwater treatment designs. .Output: The workshop goal is to improve participant’s abilities to review and assess designs and strategies to achieve water quality targets in compliance with current and impending regulations.  Short-term Outcomes:  See impacts. Impacts: To date 109 Regional stormwater professionals have received certification through this program.  Number of attendees this year reached 121 attendees over four courses.  A new course on modeling was also added this year in response to participant feedback.

McPhillips: Activity: Updated curriculum in Penn State CE 473: Ecological Design of Regenerative Aquatic Systems to include content on Green Stormwater Infrastructure Output: Three weeks of updated content on green stormwater infrastructure design and ecosystem services Short-term Outcomes: 35 students participated in the class with the updated curriculum and trained in GSI design and benefits

Dietz & Dickson: Activity: Updated curriculum for two-semester undergraduate course on Green Stormwater Infrastructure at the University of Connecticut (NRE 3150 and NRE 3699). See https://nemo.uconn.edu/stormwater-corps/  Output: Two academic semesters of content on GSI, and 8 impervious cover disconnection reports for municipalities in Connecticut. Short-term outcomes: 32 students participate in the classes with updated curriculum. These students presented reports to 8 municipalities, detailing disconnection opportunities to help them meet municipal stormwater regulations. These reports included background information on GSI, along with numerous disconnection opportunities with quantification of stormwater volume and nutrient reductions

1. Greenleaf, H., Bitterman, P., and Koliba, C., and Hurley, S. (corresponding author). 2024. “Maintaining green stormwater infrastructure in urban and rural Vermont: Municipal maintenance capacity, aesthetics, and connections to stormwater policy.” Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment, ASCE.  https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/JSWBAY.SWENG-570

2. Betz, C., Ament, M. Hurley, S. and Roy, E. 2023. “Nitrogen Dynamics in Roadside Stormwater Bioretention Cells Amended with Drinking Water Treatment Residuals.” Journal of Environmental Quality. JIF5: 2.7. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20506

3. Sarazen, J. Hurley, S. and Faulkner, J. 2022. “Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal in a Bioretention Cell Experiment Receiving Agricultural Runoff from a Dairy Farm Production Area During Third and Fourth Years of Operation.” Journal of Environmental Quality. JIF5: 2.7. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20434

4. Ament, M., Roy, E., Yuan, Y., and Hurley, S. 2022. “Phosphorus removal, metals dynamics, and hydraulics in stormwater bioretention systems amended with drinking water treatment residuals.” Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment. JIF5: 1.8 https://doi.org/10.1061/JSWBAY.0000980