Hydraulic Performance of a Residential Stormwater Infiltration Gallery

Abstract

An increasing number of municipalities are encouraging homeowners to implement on-site residential stormwater management. In some communities, this encouragement takes the form of a stormwater utility fee or rain tax that may be reduced if homeowners take measures to reduce runoff. The most commonly cited techniques for reducing runoff are disconnecting downspouts or installing rain barrels, rain gardens, or permeable pavements. The analysis presented here examines the hydraulic performance of the less commonly recommended residential stormwater infiltration gallery designed to reduce off-site runoff from roof gutters. Case study simulation results based on a 10-year precipitation record for Cleveland, Ohio, indicate that a 30-m (100-ft) infiltration gallery sitting atop soil with a modest infiltration rate of