Simulation of the Performance of a Storm-Water BMP

Abstract

Vegetated storage-infiltration best management practices (BMPs) have become an increasingly popular means of attenuating and treating runoff from developed land. However, the hydrologic and pollutant removal performances of these facilities can be highly variable. A mathematical model of an idealized BMP was developed in order to quantify the impact of variable hydrologic and pollutant concentration input on BMP performance by simulating the treatment performance of the model system during 1,250 non-steady-state storm events generated based on historic Maryland rainfall data. The model BMP was effective in attenuating volume (42% total volume reduction) and peak flow (median peak output to peak input flow ratio was 0.058). The simulated mean effluent pollutant event mean concentration was much less than the influent (0.284 compared with 1.51 mg/L) and the overall mass load reduction was 92%. However, the performance parameters demonstrated significant variability. Consequently, the results suggest a need to incorporate into BMP performance guidelines the impact of the variable influent hydrologic and pollutant concentration characteristics. Emphasis should be placed on discharge water quality and statistical distributions rather than on single-percent removal values.