Transcript Document

Poster Number
C-15
Developing a Small Business in Response to a Stormwater Utility
for the New Jersey Meadowlands
Rutgers University
Problem Definition
Commercial development in the New Jersey Meadowlands District has
transformed 10,000 acres of tidal wetlands into commercial landscape.1 As a
result, major sections of the district are in constant distress from regular
flood events which result from low elevation, excessive urbanization, and
disruption of natural hydrology.
Flood events reduce business hours, halt the transportation of goods, and
greatly hinder area employees. Stormwater passes through the urban
landscape and carries highly concentrated pollutants into the natural bodies
of water. Local residents must endure severe flooding of their homes,
resulting in significant personal distress and danger to public health.2
Purpose and Objective
The goal of this project is to develop a business model for consulting property
owners within the stormwater utility district. Successful consultation must
result in a reduction of stormwater runoff, proportionally lower stormwater
utility fees, decreased pollution, and the cessation of flood events. The team
selected two sites: "Carol Place" and "Grand Street" of Moonachie Township.
“Carol Place” designs focus on flood control and pollutant reduction, while
“Grand Street” designs focus on flood control in a tidal system.3 The Design
Team operating as a small business designed stormwater management plans
for these sites to demonstrate the ability to tackle the basic flooding issue,
while accounting for the people, prosperity and planet in the area as well.
Water Quality Storm
2-year
10-year
Flooding is caused by clogged catch basins/tidal gates, poorly grade and mostly
impervious lots, lack of pumping systems and tidal issues. The failure of existing
infrastructure compounds the incapability of the area to handle even small storm
events.2 Selected BMPs were designed for the New Jersey water quality storm
(1.25 inches over 2-hours), which includes 90% of New Jersey's annual storm
events. New Jersey's two, ten, and one-hundred year storms were considered in
the design process. These figures are presented for both design sites in Table 1.
Based on these data, it is recommended that Green Roofs, Rainwater Cisterns,
and Hydrodynamic Separation Systems are used at these sites. Their uses and
effects are described in Figure 1 and 2.
Cisterns operate
by capturing a
predetermined
volume of
rooftop runoff.
The collected
water is usually
clean, and safe
for reuse in
common tasks
such as on-site
irrigation, boiler
feed water, toilet
flushing etc.
Green roofs or vegetated roofs are
exceedingly functional in mitigating
stormwater runoff from roofs.
Hydrodynamic separation systems are
effective in removing debris from
runoff flows before they exit into a
receiving body of water. It is extremely
helpful in preventing drainage system
failure by preventing debris build up.
With Green Roof
Peak Flow Time Peak Flow Rate Peak Flow Time Peak Flow
Rainfall (inches) (hours)
(cfs)
(hours)
Rate (cfs)
Length (hours)
2
24
24
1.25
3.3
5.1
1.49
12.49
12.49
9.92
12.58
19.59
3.37
17.39
15.19
0.02
0.55
1.65
Site 2 - Grand Street
Storm Event
Water Quality Storm
Without Cisterns
With Cisterns
Peak Flow Time Peak Flow Rate Peak Flow Time Peak Flow
Length (hours) Rainfall (inches) (hours)
(cfs)
(hours)
Rate (cfs)
2
1.25
1.41
0.37
0*
0*
2-year
24
3.3
12.36
0.44
15.97
0.03
10-year
24
5.1
12.36
0.68
12.6
0.54
•Entire volume of roof runoff can be captured by the five 3,500 gallon cisterns
Table 1: Numerical data describing effect on green roofs and cisterns on peak flow times and rate for water
quality storm, 2 and 10 year storm
Conclusions
Flood events at both sites are a result of extensive and poorly graded impervious
surfaces, a lack of sufficient stormwater facilities, negligence of existing
infrastucture, an absence of on-site pumping systems, and a general vulnerability
to tidal surges from nearby rivers. The existing infrastructure includes catch basins,
tidal gates, drainage ditches, and stormwater pipes, but for the most part these
devices are broken or otherwise incapacitated.
Proposed Phase II Strategy
Figure 1: Described purpose of suggested BMP technology4,5,6
Without Green Roof
With Green Roof
Without Cisterns
With Cisterns
The proposed design in Moonachie along with the business plan will demonstrate
to the greater community that proper design of BMPs can have a positive effect on
the environment and the lives of the residents in that environment. The business
plan will be a demonstration project for the community to see how a Stormwater
Utility will maintain and improve stormwater quality and infrastructure of the region.
The utility will not be an omnipotent institution that charges the land owners in the
region whatever it pleases, but the land owners will have some control over the fee
from the ability to improve their property from a stormwater management
prospective. This will lower their fee, but also provide incentive for land owners to
improve their property on their own.
References
10-year
Education of the public in regards to stormwater management issues will also
spread widely. It will infrom the residents of the importance of reducing
flooding, and environmental stress on their home wetlands. It is a tool
through which members of the community can actively contribute to solutions
by implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) in accordance with the
stormwater utility.
Data & Findings
Storm Event
2-year
This project will approach sustainability on three fronts, the protection of
property and health (people), the protection of industry (prosperity), and the
protection of wetlands (planet). Once flooding issues are addressed, the
damage to property as well as the interruption of the daily transit can be
erased. Thus, the quality of daily life and the prosperity of business will be
augmented. The solution to flooding issues can address the environmental
sensistivity of the wetland ecology as well. Water quality can be controlled
and the stress of stormwater quantity and quality can be alleviated. designs.
Robert Flaherty, Kathleen Kang, Michael Rashkovsky, and Jericho Silang
Water Quality Storm
Scope
Site 1 - Carol Place
Without Green Roof
Figure 2: Hyrdrograph data on effects of BMPs on inflows and runoff for water quality storm, 2 and 10 year storm
1.Proposal for P3 Award Project, EPA Grant Number: SU833552. 2006 Developing a Small Business in Response to a
Stormwater Utility for the New Jersey Meadowlands.
2.Obropta, CC, P Kallin, B Ravit, K Buckley, C Strickland, E Giuliano, ME Cronk. 2006. "Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study."
Rutgers University: New Brunswick.
3. Agnoli, Nicholas. "Hackensack Meadowlands Flood Management Plan." 04 Oct. 2005. New Jersey
Meadowlands Commision. 28 Mar. 2008. http://rerc.rutgers.edu/.
4. Earth Pledge. Green Roofs: Ecological Design, Construction. Schiffer Pub, 2005
5. Huber, W.C., Cannon, L., et. al. 2006. "BMP Modeling Concepts and Simulation."
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development.
6. Contech Stormwater Solutions 2008. < http://www.contechcpi.com/stormwater/
products/hydrodynamic_separation/vortsentry/73>