RainGardenResearchand CurrentIssues

MichaelDietz,Ph.D.
CTNEMO|CooperativeExtension Univ.ofConnecticut ManagingStormwaterfromImperviousSurfaces:GreenInfrastructure SolutionsforNewJersey TheHeldrich|NewBrunswick,NJ

January27,2011

Monitoring-Began November 2002

Installation:91902

RainGardenMaterialsDetail
(BasedonPGCRGManual,2001)

Threenativeshrubspecies:
Chokeberry(Aroniaprunifolia) Winterberry(Ilexverticillata) Compactinkberry(Ilexglabracompacta)

Nativesoilmix
Loamysand

Roughly5cmofbarkmulch

MonitoringEquipment

Methods
Labanalysisofwatersamplesfor:
NitrateN,ammoniaN,totalKjeldahlN,total phosphorus,copper,lead,zinc

Waterlevelineachgardenmeasured Temperaturemeasuredatinletandoutlet (underdrains) Weeklymeasurementsofsoilmoisture, redoxpotential(Eh),andfrostdepth

Flowbalance
cm % of Inflow Inflow Roof Runoff Precipitation Total Outflow Underdrain Overflow Total Residual 1202 306 1507 1438 13 1451 56 79.7 20.3

95.4 0.8 3.7

99%ofinflow retained!

Percent retention

NO3-N Total In Total Out % Retention 388 128 67

NH3-N 30 5 82

TKN g 250 186 26

TP 9 20 -108

TN 647 316 51

ON 211 181 14

-Two years of results (year 1 much less) -Remember: 99% of inflow was retained

Total Phosphorus
0.25
Roof runoff Underdrain average Exponential (Underdrain average)

0.2 Total Phosphorus (mg/L)

Linear (Roof runoff)

0.15

0.1

0.05 R2 = 0.06 0 Sep-02

R2 = 0.47

Dec-02

Mar-03

Jun-03

Oct-03 Date

Jan-04

Apr-04

Aug-04

Nov-04

Feb-05

Comparisonwithotherresearch
ConsistentwithNorthCarolina
Huntetal.,2006.Evaluatingbioretentionhydrologyandnutrientremovalatthreefield sitesinNorthCarolina.JournalofIrrigationandDrainageEngineering,Vol.132(6),pp. 600608.

Consistent(N)&inconsistent(P)with Maryland
Davisetal.,2006.Waterqualityimprovementthroughbioretentionmedia:nitrogenand phosphorusremoval.WaterEnvironmentResearch,Vol.78(3),pp.284293.

ConsistentwithNewHampshire
Roseen,etal.,2009.Seasonalperformancevariationsforstormwatermanagement systemsincoldclimateconditions.JournalofEnvironmentalEngineering,Vol.135(3), pp.128137.

Lotsofvariabilityinresults!

Secondyear
Modificationtoencouragedenitrificationand increasetreatmentofNO3N Saturatedzonecreatedinbottomofrain garden(afterKim,etal.,2004)

Modification
Pondingdepth

Saturatedzone
Monitoring tank

1m

Underdrain

ImpactonNO3N
NostatisticallysignificantreductioninNO3N concentrations
Lotsofsamplesbelowdetectionlimit

Percentofoutflowsamplesbelowdetection before/afterchange:
Before=19% After=56% Significantusingchisquarestatistic

Whathappensinthewinter?

FrostTube

After Ricard, et al. (1976)

FrostTubeDetail

Winterperformance
Measuredfrostdepth Didnotimpactannualperformance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq6WB6VKeac SimilarfindingsatUNHStormwaterCenter
Roseen,etal.,2009.Seasonalperformancevariationsforstormwatermanagement systemsincoldclimateconditions.JournalofEnvironmentalEngineering,Vol.135(3), pp.128137.

SomeCurrentIssues
Filterfabricuse
DONTUSEINBIORETENTION! Pronetoclogging

Sizing
Waterqualityvolumevs.curvenumbervs.?

ThankYou!! Questions?? michael.dietz@uconn.edu

TwoyearANOVA/meanseparation
Variable n 73 78 79 72 77 80 26 26 26 Unit -1 mg L mg L mg L mg L mg L mg L
-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

Bulk Deposition 0.7 bcd 0.04 a 0.5 a 1.3 abc 0.4 a 0.009 b 3a 3a 11 a

Roof Runoff 0.9 abc 0.04 a 0.6 a 1.6 ab 0.5 a 0.015 b 5a 3a 9a

Underdrain Treatment Control 0.2 d 0.01 b 0.4 a 0.7 c 0.4 a 0.039 a 3a 3a 10 a 0.4 cd 0.01 b 0.5 a 0.9 bc 0.5 a 0.043 a 4a 3a 5a

Overflow1 Treatment Control 2.0 ab 0.08 a 0.6 a 2.7 a 0.5 a 0.009 b 3a 3a 8a 2.1 a 0.04 a 0.3 a 2.4 a 0.2 a 0.016 b -

NO3-N NH3-N*** TKNns TN*** ONns TP*** Cutotal ns Pbtotal ns Zntotal ns

***

g L g L g L

*** p=0.001 ns=ANOVA comparison non significant 1 n=4 for overflow samples

Meansfollowedbythesameletterarenotsignificantlydifferentatp=0.05