EVALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER RUNOFF TURBIDITY: STATE-LEVEL TRENDS AND FORECAST OF FUTURE IMPACTS

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Manickavelu, A. (2019). EVALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER RUNOFF TURBIDITY: STATE-LEVEL TRENDS AND FORECAST OF FUTURE IMPACTS. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Construction and development projects alter an environment from its natural state into a man-made setting. Construction land use areas have been found to contribute the highest sediment loading to urban runoff when compared to loadings from other urban land use types (i.e. commercial, parking lot, industrial). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it has been estimated that 6000 lbs/acre-yr of total suspended solids is contributed from construction areas. In 2009, the EPA introduced numeric turbidity limits and guidance on the allowable levels of sediment (measured as turbidity) within stormwater runoff from construction sites. This was later withdrawn in 2014, due in part to a major shortcoming in data insufficiency regarding current loading estimates. In support of this, this study centers on three main research objectives to gain insight into this shortcoming and forecast future potential impacts of construction stormwater runoff. Through an analysis of stormwater data reported by facility owners in California State Water Resources Control Board (CSWRCB), we can understand the scale, severity, and trends of the stormwater runoff. A stormwater prediction model has been developed to provide estimates of turbidity within construction stormwater runoff to aid in future planning of construction sites in the event that turbidity regulations are put in place of the current industry standard metric of total suspended solids. Potential future impacts of construction within North Carolina have been forecasted through a spatial analysis that highlights sediment loading and receiving water risk levels with respect to the probable development area in the future. In the preplanning stages of construction, best management practices are decided by knowing trends of turbidity level during storm events, loading risk levels and prediction model provided by the study.

Details
Author

Manickavelu, Arunan

Title

EVALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER RUNOFF TURBIDITY: STATE-LEVEL TRENDS AND FORECAST OF FUTURE IMPACTS

Physical Description

1 online resource (94 pages) : PDF

Date

2019

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Construction and development projects alter an environment from its natural state into a man-made setting. Construction land use areas have been found to contribute the highest sediment loading to urban runoff when compared to loadings from other urban land use types (i.e. commercial, parking lot, industrial). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it has been estimated that 6000 lbs/acre-yr of total suspended solids is contributed from construction areas. In 2009, the EPA introduced numeric turbidity limits and guidance on the allowable levels of sediment (measured as turbidity) within stormwater runoff from construction sites. This was later withdrawn in 2014, due in part to a major shortcoming in data insufficiency regarding current loading estimates. In support of this, this study centers on three main research objectives to gain insight into this shortcoming and forecast future potential impacts of construction stormwater runoff. Through an analysis of stormwater data reported by facility owners in California State Water Resources Control Board (CSWRCB), we can understand the scale, severity, and trends of the stormwater runoff. A stormwater prediction model has been developed to provide estimates of turbidity within construction stormwater runoff to aid in future planning of construction sites in the event that turbidity regulations are put in place of the current industry standard metric of total suspended solids. Potential future impacts of construction within North Carolina have been forecasted through a spatial analysis that highlights sediment loading and receiving water risk levels with respect to the probable development area in the future. In the preplanning stages of construction, best management practices are decided by knowing trends of turbidity level during storm events, loading risk levels and prediction model provided by the study.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Civil engineering
Environmental engineering
Water resources development--Management

Degree

M.S.

Keywords

Runoff
Stormwater
Suspended Soils
Turbidity

Subject Area

Construction & Facilities Mgmt

Advisor(s)

Rice, Jacelyn

Committee Members

Barclay, Nicole
Cavalline, Tara

Degree Note

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2019.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Manickavelu_uncc_0694N_12126

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:2257