Identification of Research Needs Related to Highway Runoff Management (2004) / Chapter Skim
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This report provides an updated and thorough list of research needs that can be used in the decision-making and prioritization processes regarding funding of future research. State DOT research directors and water quality professionals were contacted to locate existing research and research-in-progress and to list what they believed were the most important remaining needs related to research on water quality control and stormwater impacts on receiving waters.
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The International Stormwater BMP Database primarily contains BMP design and monitoring data but makes no direct links to published literature. A research project linking an extensive bibliographic database, such as a refined and value-added NDAMS database, to a water quality and BMP performance database, such as the International Stormwater BMP Database, would create a useful tool for stormwater practitioners.
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Development of a stormwater runoff research database and a BMP performance and design database specific to highways using the International Stormwater BMP Database as a model; 3. Development of an information-sharing system that links the two databases listed in item 2 into an online, user-friendly database for data entry and retrieval; and 4.
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Quantification of benefits from receiving waters protection requires the use of existing water quality, habitat, and bioassessment monitoring data for both the runoff and receiving waters. Costs associated with public education, catch basin maintenance, and roadside vegetation control activities would aid in the optimization and adequate allocation of stormwater management funds.
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Development of methods and technologies to promote the reuse of stormwater. Design Variables Affecting BMP Performance Primary design variables affecting BMP performance are those that control flow.
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BMP Modeling With regard to BMP modeling, the unit processes of sedimentation and infiltration appear to be well covered in the literature. However, other BMP water quality treatment unit processes such as sorption processes (absorption and adsorption)
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suggests that further research in this area is unlikely to be a high priority. However, in selected locations, coagulant use may be necessary to achieve water quality goals, thus more detailed guidance on design for highway situations may be valuable.
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Evaluation of the potential impacts of coagulants to receiving waters; 9. Detailed guidance for areas that require coagulant use to meet water quality objectives; and 10.
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Evaluation of the performance of nonvegetative permanent soil stabilizers for reducing erosion and potential water quality impacts; and 16 Development and evaluation of temporary nonvegetative soil stabilization techniques. General Constituent Characterization Many state DOTs have studied highway runoff, so there are several studies available that generally characterize highway runoff quality.
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Some parameters appear to exhibit a first flush, while others do not. Therefore, a comprehensive list of highway runoff pollutants that tend to exhibit a first flush may be useful for evaluating receiving water impacts and the feasibility of treating only the first flush of a storm.
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Particle-size distribution plays an important role in the transport and aquatic biota impacts of mobilized sediment, metals, nutrients, and trace organics. Since monitoring for particle size and other parameters may increase significantly the costs of a construction project, it would be beneficial to have an initial screening method for assessing the quality of site soils on a grain-size basis to determine if sediment and erosion controls are necessary to prevent impacts to receiving waters.
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Itemized Research Needs 1. Examination of the water quality effects of maintenance practices through field studies, 2.
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Also, a wide variety of assessment methods are currently in use by the few highway water quality researchers conducting toxicity and bioassessment studies. As a result, it is difficult to compare quantitatively the existing data or to make any general assessment of the impacts of highway runoff on receiving water biota.
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The effects of gross solids on receiving waters are not well documented in the literature. These effects need to be ascertained for the purposes of assessing future total maximum daily load (TMDL)
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Water Quality Runoff Modeling As with BMP modeling, there is a general need for accurate and representative data for parameter estimation and model calibration and for stochastic models and model development. There also is a need for data collection efforts that focus more on new constituents that may be required by models of the future.
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Assessment of deicing agent and traction materials impacts on receiving waters; 5. Guidance on the management and storage of snow removed from urban highways to minimize impacts of snow storage area runoff; 6.
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Other potential knowledge gaps pertinent to water quality modeling include guidance on modeling temperature change impacts from pavement runoff, further development and enhancement of stochastic water quality models, evaluation of the limitations imposed by snow on water quality modeling methodologies, and the development of solutions for more accurate simulation of the effects of snow in water quality models. See section 3.5.5 for a discussion on modeling of water quality impacts to receiving waters.
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Robert Pitt, are compiling and summarizing the available national data on urban runoff water quality and conducting data explorations to ascertain potential explaining factors. See section 3.4.2 for a discussion on runoff characterization with independent variable correlation.
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Evaluation of the capabilities of existing BMPs to mitigate impacts from highway construction materials contamination. Groundwater Quality Analysis and Impacts Based on the research review, information is needed on the potential impacts to groundwater caused by infiltration of stormwater runoff.
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See section 3.5.6 for a discussion on the water quality impacts of CSOs. Itemized Research Needs 1.
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The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the BMP Maintenance and Longevity and the Economic Analysis and Assessment of BMPs sections of Table 4-1. Research Objectives Specific research topics addressed by this proposed project include the following: • Develop BMP maintenance versus performance information, including how to maintain infiltration BMPs to extend the effective life of these facilities and how maintenance (pollutant removal)
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Highway Runoff Information Sharing and Technology Exchange Systems Although there are still many research needs regarding highway runoff, a great deal of information exists on highway runoff characterization impacts to receiving systems, construction and post-construction water quality control technologies, and nonstructural practices. Many states have made significant investments in new technology evaluations and highway runoff studies.
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The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the Information Sharing and Technology Exchange Systems section of Table 4-1. Research Objectives The Internet-based resource would extend highway runoff characterization, impacts, and best practice collection and technology transfer by including • The community's best bibliography of titles and authors, with as many annotations and cross-references as possible; • An extensive online library of as many complete sources as possible (or links to sites where such information is available)
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Such participation has the potential to result in alternative BMP siting within a watershed and increased cost-effectiveness of stormwater controls. Transportation project delivery often is impeded by regulatory requirements for the mitigation of water quality, hydrology, and habitat impacts within or adjacent to the transportation system right-of-way (in-ROW mitigation)
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The review should include water quality and hydromodification (hydrology changes) in addition to a review of pollutant trading, as applied to surface waters.
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will be developed for recording BMP cost information and the benefits to receiving waters. The protocol will include costs for BMP design and construction; BMP maintenance; land costs, including whether they were additive or not; avoided costs (such as reduced piping or other conveyance structures)
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The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the General BMP Evaluation and Selection section of Table 4-1 in this report and Chapter 6 of the GKY report (NCHRP Web Document 37)
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Tasks 1. Conduct a Review of Existing Highway Post-Construction BMP Selection and Design Guidance Documents: Develop a critical literature review on available post-construction BMP selection and design, including recommendations on how the available guidance can be used to develop a national-level guidance document.
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The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the Low Impact Development/Distributed BMPs section of Table 4-1. Research Objectives • Conduct a review of LID/Distributed BMPs that are in the ground and operating.
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See section 3.2.7 for a discussion on BMP design variables. The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the Design Variables Affecting BMP Performance section of Table 4-1.
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See section 3.2.10 for a discussion on BMP modeling. The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the BMP Modeling section of Table 4-1.
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to develop unit processes descriptions of BMP performance and other relevant BMP modeling papers and to prepare a review of the potential characteristics that can be used to optimize performance of detention systems. Based on this review, develop a detailed study plan for modeling and field analyses to assess the hydraulic characteristics that lead to improved stormwater detention BMP design.
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4. Develop a Guidance Manual: Develop a practical guidance manual for transportation practitioners to select, design, and implement water quality retrofits for existing highway drainage systems.
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See section 3.2.5 for a discussion on methods to improve pollutant removal in BMPs. The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the Methods to Improve Pollutant Removal in Existing Stormwater Systems section of Table 4-1.
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Such restrictions may result in suboptimal use of water resources as well as cost and environmental effectiveness inefficiencies, since the option of using larger wetlands to satisfy both requirements of habitat replacement and water quality enhancement would not be available, therefore, resulting in the employment of potentially less effective BMPs. Finally, good design guidance is needed for minimizing potential negative impact to biota when BMPs that incorporate habitat
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The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the Toxicity and Bioassessment and the Wetland Impacts sections of Table 4-1. Research Objectives • Critical assessment of available information on the potential for highway runoff BMPs to cause problems for biota and on what habitat values can be achieved safely with such systems, and • Development and implementation of a monitoring plan to assess the potential impacts on biota and the value of habitat created by highway runoff stormwater treatment wetlands.
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The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the Unit Treatment Processes and the Runoff Characterization with Independent Variable Correlation sections of Table 4-1. Research Objectives • Identification and evaluation of accurate and applicable methods for monitoring particle-size distribution of suspended sediment concentrations; • Correlation of heavy metals concentrations to suspended sediment in highway runoff; • Evaluation of BMPs performance, according to suspended sediment removal and changes in particle-size distribution; • Recommendation of improvements for existing stormwater BMPs to improve sediment capture and retention; and • Recommendation of future research projects for evaluating the potential to treat metals concentrations not associated with sediment.
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See section 1.1.1 for an additional discussion of TMDLs. The research gaps addressed under this research statement are listed under the NCHRP Panel Recommended Research Needs section of Table 4-1.
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6. Develop a Synthesis of Guidance Methods for TMDL Determination and Implementation: Combine the results of the first four tasks into a guidance document that can be used by practitioners for TMDL and WLA determination in addition to stormwater runoff and BMP modeling and monitoring.
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