Mapping Predicted Areas of Common Maintenance Impacts to Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Abstract

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has become a popular alternative to gray infrastructure design by decreasing stormwater pollution and providing a multitude of social, environmental, and economic benefits to communities. Although there has been an increase in the implementation of GSI within the planning and development of communities, little is known about the spatial distribution of maintenance impacts to GSI systems. To address this knowledge gap, a GSI maintenance needs index (MNI) was created for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania using a combination of variables that have been shown to potentially negatively affect the lifespan of GSI, such as litter, leaf litter, and sediment buildup. Philadelphia was used as a case study for creating this index because recently, GSI has been prioritized in the planning and development of projects throughout the city. Our findings suggest that these GSI impact variables are spatially diverse. This newly created GSI MNI is beneficial for decision makers involved in the planning stages of GSI implementation. This, in turn, will allow planners and municipalities to implement siting based on GSI type and local environment and apply targeted maintenance programs to ultimately improve the performance and extend the lifespan of local GSI systems.