Identification of Research Needs Related to Highway Runoff Management (2004) / Chapter Skim
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From page 48... ...
2.1. TOP-RANKED AREAS OF NEEDED RESEARCH: STORMWATER CONTROL FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS The survey yielded some interesting and perhaps surprising results given the panel and GKY's previous emphasis on research pertaining to receiving water impacts.
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From page 49... ...
RA N K WEIGHT 4 2 -1 SC O R E 1 Operations and maintenance costs of BMPs 36 10 4 160 2 Construction BMPs efficiencies 37 8 5 159 3 Technical feasibility of BMPs 30 14 6 142 4 Methodology to quantify BMPs benefits and costs 27 17 6 136 5 Construction costs of BMPs 29 12 9 131 6 New erosion control technology evaluation 28 13 9 129 9 Development of small footprint BMPs 22 18 10 114 10 Performance of nonvegetative permanent soil stabilizers for reducing erosion and potential impacts of products on stormwater quality 23 15 11 111 11 Applicability and effectiveness of particular low impact design (LID) methods in linear corridors/for transportation 19 19 9 105 12 Temporary nonvegetative soil stabilization evaluation 23 13 14 104 15 Performance of BMPs retrofits/effectiveness (removing constituents of concerns, hydraulic performance, export of elements to receiving waters)
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From page 50... ...
Also, 70% of the DOTs wanted to see methodologies developed to determine where flow control of runoff volumes and high-flow durations are appropriate to prevent stream bank erosion in ultra-urban areas. Characterizing sites for offsite water quality treatment on a watershed basis is relatively uncommon.
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From page 51... ...
RA N K WEIGHT 4 2 -1 SC O R E 8 Contribution of highway runoff to watershed loadings 26 12 11 117 14 Demonstrating the costs and benefits of alternative, offsite, and watershed-based stormwater mitigation 17 21 9 101 16 Best methods for improving stream ecology through water quality BMPs–alternatives to regulating runoff in urban areas 18 18 12 96 24 Methodologies to determine where flow control of runoff volumes and high flow durations are appropriate to prevent stream bank erosion in ultra-urban areas 14 21 12 86 26 Characterization on a watershed basis and the availability and prioritization of sites for constructed wetlands 14 19 14 80 32 The ability of watershed or regionally based enhancements of wet weather storage capacity to improve baseline (high and low flow) hydrology and ecological productivity downstream 13 18 18 70 37 Water quality problems due to urbanization and heavy metal concentration in relation to or projected from total connected impervious area in the watershed 8 21 20 54 TABLE 2-3 Watershed research areas ranked in priority by state DOTs
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From page 52... ...
Low Priority (1) RA N K WEIGHT 4 2 -1 SC O R E 7 Threshold traffic densities below which certain pollutants in highway runoff can be considered negligible or irreducible and can be dispersed on roadsides 26 15 8 126 8 Contribution of highway runoff to watershed loadings 26 12 11 117 13 Valid monitoring methods 23 12 14 102 28 Role of total suspended solids and dissolved organic carbon in controlling dissolved metal concentration 14 15 11 75 35 Deicing agent selection criteria 14 13 23 59 37 Water quality problems due to urbanization and heavy metal concentration in relation to or projected from total connected impervious area in the watershed 8 21 20 54 42 Herbicide runoff characterization 5 17 27 27 45 Viral pathogen indicators and treatment 4 10 34 2
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From page 53... ...
The DOTs' individual respondents identified the following general areas pertaining to stormwater as important to increasing DOT ability to improve water quality: • BMP performance studies specific to DOT operations and to individual states; • Cost–benefit analyses of BMPs and retrofits; • Determination of the water quality benefits of employing source control measures; • Determination of the effectiveness of treatments and if and when they become feasible economically; and • Effectiveness of BMPs, selection criteria, and construction and maintenance costs. These areas, listed separately by state DOTs in the respondents' own words, do not differ significantly from the prelisted priority areas on which DOT rankings were requested, though the source control area was not listed as such in the initial ranked list.
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From page 54... ...
54 Post-Construction Maintenance Aspects of Stormwater Management Measures The most important research topics in the area of postconstruction maintenance aspects of stormwater management measures that could increase the DOTs' ability to improve water quality were listed as • An easy-to-use guide for measures that are best to use, by region; • A synthesis of best practices; • An estimation of the need for the additional maintenance personnel who are required to maintain properly the existing BMPs; • Technology improvements, for example, the need for vactor trucks to be able to clean greater than 80% of sediment and debris from catch basins, structures, and manholes; • Testing methodologies for maintenance of stormwater BMPs and specifications for effective use, for example, vacuum sweeper testing methodology and specifications to improve water quality; • Mulches and erosion-control mixes; • Data on maintenance requirements and frequency for BMPs based on location and land use type; • Design for lifetime maintenance of the project; • Long-term effectiveness of devices; • Lifecycle cost analysis of devices; and • Deicing effects on threatened and endangered species, amphibians, and other sensitive species. Retrofitting and Site Selection on a Watershed Basis Just under one-third of the DOTs have retrofitted existing stormwater facilities for stormwater quality control.
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From page 55... ...
. Receiving Waters Impact Assessment When asked to identify research needs in their own words, pertaining to impacts on receiving waters, DOT respondents suggested the following: • Atmospheric deposition, • Ambient conditions of receiving waters, • Strategies or models for design and location of BMPs and stormwater retrofits to have the maximum impact on receiving waters, • The BMP standard for abating temperature of water discharged to cold water streams, • The contribution of bridge runoff to water quality degradation, • Effectiveness of catch basin hoods, • Effects and effectiveness of underground BMPs, 55 • The use of sound scientific methodology (more than just laboratory data)
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From page 56... ...
56 CONCLUSION The survey yielded some interesting and perhaps surprising results given the panel and GKY's previous emphasis on research pertaining to receiving water impacts. Although there is arguably a logical progression of activity that often starts with fundamental research, progresses through applied research, addresses technology transfer, and then is applied through proof in practice, DOTs indicated less interest in prioritizing continued research on impacts to receiving waters and understanding fundamental physical, chemical, and biological or ecological processes operating in receiving systems and more interest in the immediate questions on BMP costs and effectiveness.
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