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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
13:48
Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility
Published on: August 8, 2014
Stormwater runoff and export changes with development in a traditional and low impact subdivision
Michael E Dietz1, John C Clausen
1Department of Environment and Society, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5215, USA. michael.dietz@usu.edu
Journal of Environmental Management
|May 8, 2007
Summary
Low impact development significantly reduces stormwater runoff and pollutant export compared to traditional development. This approach protects freshwater bodies and estuaries from degradation caused by increased impervious surfaces.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Hydrology
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Rapid national development increases impervious surfaces, leading to freshwater body and estuary degradation.
- Stormwater runoff from impervious areas is a primary driver of water quality decline.
- Low impact development (LID) techniques are proposed to mitigate these environmental impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the impact of increasing imperviousness on stormwater runoff and pollutant export.
- To compare the effectiveness of traditional development versus low impact development (LID) in managing stormwater.
- To establish regression relationships between impervious area and stormwater/pollutant export.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring stormwater runoff and pollutant concentrations during development.
- Measuring total impervious area in traditional and LID watersheds.
- Developing regression models to link impervious area to stormwater and pollutant export.
Main Results:
- Traditional development showed significant, logarithmic increases in stormwater runoff, nitrogen, and phosphorus export (over two orders of magnitude).
- Post-development TN and TP export in traditional sites reached 10 and 1 kg ha(-1) yr(-1), respectively.
- LID development maintained pre-development runoff and pollutant levels, comparable to forested watersheds.
Conclusions:
- LID techniques effectively minimize the negative impacts of development on local waterways.
- Watershed-scale implementation of LID can preserve water quality in freshwater bodies and estuaries.
- LID offers a sustainable approach to managing urban stormwater and associated pollutant loads.
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