State Regulations and Sustainable

Infrastructure
April 16, 2011

Urban Stormwater Management

Drivers
Ecosystem Services
LID and Light Imprint New Urbanism
Comments MD Stormwater Regulations
Larry S. Coffman
LNSB, LLLP Stormwater Services
l.coffman@att.net
301-580-6631
Low Impact Development (LID) and
Other Green Design Strategies

Stormwater Management Drivers

1. Chesapeake Bay Program TMDL (N, P & Sediment)
* WIPs 2012 - 2020
* Goal - NPDES Phase I - 30% Urban Retrofit
NPDES Phase II - 20% Urban Retrofit
2. MDE 2010 Stormwater Regulations
* Redevelopment - Treat 50% of Impervious Surfaces
* Preference for ESD (LID)
* Concept Plan
3. EPA New NPDES Stormwater Program Requirement
* Volume Control
* Green Infrastructure (LID)
4. Conventional SWM (Pipe & Pond) is not protective!

B-IBI w/BMPs

B-IBI w/o BMPs

45
40

B-IBI Score

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Watershed Urbanization (%TIA)

Figure 2: Showing the lack of mitigating influence of structural

BMPs on biologic conditions in Puget Sound lowland streams
(Horner and May, 2000). Note, w/BMPs refers to structural
facilities only. [Honer / May 2001]

Watersheds containing less than 10 percent impervious

surface maintain healthy streams (CWP Schuler).

Watersheds containing less than 10 percent impervious

surface maintain healthy streams (CWP Schuler).

Since 1985, sediment loads in the

bay from urban or suburban sources
have increased by 57 percent, while
phosphorus loads have increased by 67
percent and nitrogen loads have
increased by 90 percent.
impervious surfaces
comprise less than 5% of the
total Bay watershed

(EPA) Office of Inspector General 2007

The Envirocast Newsletter 2002

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Historic site of the Port of Bladensburg

Special Protective Area

Limit Impervious (12%)
Wide Stream Buffers
Stormwater Controls

Ecosystem Integrity & Ecological Services /

Functions
Scale / Spatial / Temporal / Species
Nutrients
Temperature
D.O.
pH
Turbidity
Organics Toxics

Chemical

Flow

Variables

Regime

Ecosystem
Integrity
Biotic

Habitat
Structure

Factors
Disease
Reproduction
Feeding
Predation
Competition

Energy
Sources

Sunlight Nutrients
Seasonal Cycles
Organic Matter
1&2 Production

Velocity
Frequency
Runoff
Evaporation
Ground Water
Flow Duration
Rain Intensity
Canopy
Siltation
Gradient
Substrate
Current
Instream Cover
Sinuosity
Width/Depth
Channel Morphology
Soils Stability
Riparian Vegetation

Imperviousness & Threshold Theories

Its not so simple - very complex!

Source: Schuler and Claytor, 1995

Natural Conditions

Courtesy May, U of W

Soil Ecosystem Services / Functions

Physical / Chemical / Biological

1. Hydrology
storage / evaporation / recharge / detention
2. Storing Cycling Nutrients (bacteria / fungi)
phosphorous / nitrogen / carbon
3. Plant Productivity (vigor)

4. Water Quality
filter / buffer / degrade / immobilize
detoxify organic and inorganic materials

Watershed s Ecological Services

Ecological Services

Ecological Services

Water Quality Regulated

Temperature - Regulated
Runoff Volume Regulated
Stream Flow - Regulated
Habitat Diverse

Water Quality Pollutes

Temperature - Unregulated
Runoff Volume Unregulated
Stream Flow - Unregulated
Habitat Degraded

Degraded and
Dysfunctional
Streams

Urban Development
Washington D.C.

Urbanization causes the

systematic loss of
ecological services

Hydro- illogical
Potomac
River

Anacostia
River

Background
1992 Bioretention Guidelines
1997 County LID Guidelines
2000 National LID Guidelines

LID Ecosystem Based

Stormwater Management
Goal

Maintain / Restore the Water Balance (Hydrologic Processes)

Increase the Assimilative Capacity of landscape & Architecture

Principles

Optimize conservation
Decentralized / Integrated
Cumulative Impacts

Same Engineering Principles at Smaller Scale

Retain / Detain / Filter / Infiltrate / Treat / Prevent / Use

New Development Process

Conserve / Minimize / Timing / Integrate Practices / Prevent

Only LID (ESD) Provides

The Tools To Restore
Ecological Services

Single Family Residential

LID Techniques Tools
Conservation
Minimize clearing
Minimize grading
Save sandy soils
Amended soils
Reforestation
Disconnect impervious surfaces
Limit use of concrete conveyances
Vegetative swales
Rain gardens
Porous surfaces
Reduce impervious surfaces
Rain Water Harvesting
Infiltration devices
Detention devices
Vegetative buffers
Save drainage patterns

Multi Family Residential LID

Techniques Tools
Conservation
Minimize clearing
Minimize grading
Save sandy soils
Reforestation
Disconnect Impervious Surfaces
Limit use of concrete conveyances
Vegetative swales
Rain gardens
Porous surfaces
Reduce impervious surface s
Rain Water Harvesting
Infiltration
Detention Devices
Vegetative Buffers
Save Drainage Patterns

Big Box Commercial

LID Techniques Tools
Porous pavers
Tree box filters
Green roofs
Bioswales
Disconnect impervious surfaces
Vegetative swales
Rain gardens / bioretention
Porous surfaces
Reduce impervious surfaces
Rain Water Harvesting
Infiltration devices
Detention Devices
Vegetative Buffers
Save Drainage Patterns

High Density Mix Use

LID Techniques Tools
Conservation
Minimize clearing
Minimize grading
Save sandy soils
Reforestation
Disconnect Impervious Surfaces
Limit use of concrete
conveyances
Vegetative swales
Rain gardens
Porous surfaces
Reduce impervious surface s
Rain Water Harvesting
Infiltration
Detention Devices
Vegetative Buffers
Save Drainage Patterns

Light Imprint Tool Box Matrix

LID Applications by Density

Paving
Drainage
Storage
Filtration

Alhambra

WHY IS LID SO ATTRACTIVE?

Universally Applicable
Economically Sustainable
Ecologically Sustainable
Lower Costs (Construction, Maintenance &
Operation)
Multiple Benefits (air / water / energy / property
values)
Silent on Growth Management
Ideal for Urban Retrofit (quality and quantity)
Water Supply
Public Acceptance

Maryland 2010 SWM Regs.

Issues
1. Cost Increases
Redevelopment and Infill
Additional Planning & Engineering Cost
2. Limited LID Options
3. Limited Credit for LIDs
4. Overly Prescriptive Design Standards
5. Deficient Design Standards (bioretention )
6. Sizing method too conservative (over size LID)
7. Discourages Innovation

 Density is not a Stormwater BMP!!!!

2005 Smart Growth Study EPA
NRCS Model (CN Averaging)
Average Results / unit (solution to pollution is
dilution)
10% / 25% Impervious Supporting
Impact Reduction is protective

No empirical data none

All Hypothetical Arguments