Highway Stormwater Resources
Sponsors The Alternative Practices to Manage Highway Runoff webcast series could not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors.
Environmental Protection Agency – http://www.epa.gov/
Federal Highway Administration – http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/
Alternative Practices for Highway Stormwater Management: Design, Construction, and Maintenance – Part 2 (December 7, 2006):
Mark Maurer’s links:
Characteristics of Composts: Moisture Holding and Water Quality Improvements
The objective of this study was investigation of the potential beneficial use of compost manufactured topsoil in highway rights-of-way in Texas
Compost Use on State Highway Applications
Compost Utilization for Erosion Control
Using Compost for A Safer Environment – Iowa State University www.eng.iastate.edu/compost/results.html
SEA Streets Project www.seattle.gov/util/About_SPU/
Michael Barrett’s links:
Stormwater Quality Benefits of a Porous Asphalt Overlay research paper.
Bioretention Performance, Design, Construction and Maintenance. A white paper from North Carolina State University’s Cooperative Extension.
Alternative Practices for Highway Stormwater Management: Design, Construction, and Maintenance – Part 1 (October 26, 2006): Resources Discussed on the Program
Bob Gilbert’s links:
• Implementing Storm-water Management Design Innovation for Highways. www.roadsbridges.com/
Downloads for Planning Highway Projects Using Alternative Practices for Stormwater Management (June 15, 2006)
Planning Highway Projects using Alternative Practices for Stormwater Management (June 15, 2006):
Resources Discussed on the Program
For other resources discussed on this program, please see the downloads section above.
Waterfront Initiative Status Report: May 16, 2006 - Detailed report includes highlights of major accomplishments, summaries for all related projects, and summaries of studies from DC DOT. Includes excellent photos and diagrams of this award-winning project. Click here to download the report.
Caltrans Stormwater Management Program - Information on current monitoring studies, publications, conferences, and links are presented. This site is oriented towards reducing the impact of California roads on aquatic resources. www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/index.htm
Caltrans BMP Retrofit Program Final Report -http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/special
Caltrans Monitoring / Research and Applied Studies - http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/ongoing/index.htm
Caltrans Storm Water Reports - http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/special/newsetup/index.htm
Caltrans - Office of Storm Water Management - Design - http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/index.htm
Downloads for Introduction to Alternative Practices to Manage Highway Runoff (May 18, 2006)
Introduction to Alternative Practices to Manage Highway Runoff (May 18, 2006): Resources Discussed on the Program
Center for Disease Control - The CDC Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services suggests a more integrated systems-based approach to control mosquitoes when designing storm water management facilities. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
International Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) Database – A searchable database of more than 90 studies evaluating the effectiveness of various stormwater best management practices for surface water protection. http://www.bmpdatabase.org/
Low Impact Development Center – The Low Impact Development Center is a non-profit water resource research group with a mission of conducting research and training, and sustainable stormwater management. Resources include publications, pictures, and other resources. http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/
Urban Design Tools: http://www.lid-stormwater.net/
National Highway Runoff Water-Quality Data and Methodology Synthesis - An evaluation and update of FHWA pollutant loadings model for highway stormwater runoff. http://webdmamrl.er.usgs.gov/g1/fhwa/.
Maryland Storm Water Design Manual – Also available in print, for $25.00 per copy. http://www.mde.state.md.us/
Stormwater Management & Mosquito Issues – Maryland Department of the Environment fact sheet outlining revisions in MD stormwater management regulations that reduce the potential for mosquito breeding. http://www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/mosquito%202005.pdf
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Low Impact Development Page – This page includes a literature review and fact sheets that provide information on the pollutant removal effectiveness of the most common LID practices, including bioretention. It also includes an evaluation of permeable pavements for stormwater management. http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/
The Office of Water also provides downloadable fact sheets on best management practices for urban stormwater, including bioretention, porous pavement, wet detention ponds, and many more. http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/urban.html
Washington State DOT’s Stormwater - Water Quality Program– Provides information on various aspects of Washington State DOT’s stormwater management program. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/waterquality/
Washington State DOT Stormwater Research Page – The research site of the Washington State DOT’s Stormwater Program offers information on its research efforts to help identify state-of-the-art, cost-effective solutions for designing, constructing, and maintaining stormwater management systems. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/waterquality/
Washington State DOT Project Mitigation Cost Case Studies – Includes twenty-one case studies of mitigation projects by Washington State Department of Transportation. Examines the cost of mitigation for highway projects in comparison to project objectives. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/mitigation
Bioretention
Bioretention Performance, Design, Construction and Maintenance. A white paper from North Carolina State University’s Cooperative Extension.
Highway Stormwater Manuals
Washington State DOT’s Highway Runoff Manual Resource Page– Includes LID techniques as well as conventional stormwater controls. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/waterquality
Caltrans Storm Water Management Program – a statewide effort to preserve and improve the quality of water in California by preventing adverse effects of stormwater runoff from Caltrans’ roadways and facilities. http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/index.htm
Oregon DOT Storm Water Management Program www.dot.state.oh.us/stormwater Retention, Detention, and Overland Flow for Pollutant Removal from Highway Stormwater Runoff – Provides guidelines for the design of management measures for the removal of pollutants from highway stormwater runoff, including vegetative controls, detention basins, and retention measures. To order a copy, contact the FHWA’s Office of Natural Environment at environment@fhwa.dot.gov
Planning
A Guide for Transportation Landscape and Environmental Design - A basic reference to improve landscape and environmental design for all modes of transportation. 1991. http://www.aashto.org/
Road Ecology: Science and Solutions - A book that brings together fourteen leading ecologists and transportation experts to articulate state-of-the-science road ecology principles and presents specific examples that demonstrate the application of those principles. Foreman, R. T. T., et al. 2003. Island Press. http://www.islandpress.org/
Low Impact Development
Low Impact Development Center – The Low Impact Development Center is a non-profit water resource research group with a mission of conducting research and training, and sustainable stormwater management. Resources include publications, pictures, and other resources. http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/
Urban Design Tools: http://www.lid-stormwater.net/
Center for Watershed Protection – CWP’s Stormwater Center offers resources to technically assist decisionmakers and the public on stormwater management issues. Resources include publications and manuals, slide shows, ordinance information, monitoring and assessment methods, and best management practice fact sheets. http://www.stormwatercenter.net/
Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound – www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/LID_tech_manual05/LID_manual2005.pdf
Street Edge Alternatives (SEA) Streets (Seattle, WA) – Includes a virtual tour of low impact development techniques used along Seattle’s urban and suburban streets as well as design specifications for each technique. http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/util/About_SPU/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Low Impact Development Page – This page includes a literature review and fact sheets that provide information on the pollutant removal effectiveness of the most common LID practices, including bioretention. It also includes an evaluation of permeable pavements for stormwater management. http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/
The Office of Water also provides downloadable fact sheets on best management practices for urban stormwater, including bioretention, porous pavement, wet detention ponds, and many more. http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/urban.html
Urban/Suburban Stormwater Management
FHWA Water Quality and Stormwater Management page – Includes publications, reports, guidance and links for all of your water quality and stormwater management questions. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/h2o.htm
National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Urban Areas – This guide helps citizens and municipalities in urban areas protect bodies of water from polluted runoff that can result from everyday activities. These scientifically sound techniques are the best practices known today. The guidance will also help states to implement their nonpoint source control programs and municipalities to implement their Phase II Storm Water Permit Programs. Chapter 7 deals specifically with Bridges and Highways. Hard copies are now available at the National Service Center for Environmental Publications via phone at 1-800-490-9198 or via the Web site (http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/). Request Publication # EPA 841-B-05-004.
Urban Storm Water Best Management Practices Study – EPA Office of Water study of urban storm water discharges in 1997-1998 and exploration of Effluent Guidelines Program. Complements the NPDES Storm Water permit program. http://www.epa.gov/OST/stormwater/
Stormwater Best Management Practices in an Ultra-Urban Setting: Selection and Monitoring – A searchable database on runoff pollution reduction methods suited to limited space application. Included is a BMP selection criteria and decision support system and appropriate monitoring design and implementation recommendations. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ultraurb/index.htm
Metropolitan Council Environmental Planning – This manual includes detailed information on 40 BMPs that are aimed at managing stormwater pollution for small urban sites. http://www.metrocouncil.org/environment/Watershed/bmp/manual.htm
Stormwater Management – City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=35122
Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Storm and Surface Water Management: Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping – Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. http://www.mrsc.org/subjects/environment/water/sw-BMP.aspx#runoff
Stormwater Management Academy http://www.stormwater.ucf.edu/
US EPA Stormwater Management Model – Dynamic rainfall and runoof simulation model for urban areas. http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/swmm/
Stormwater Regulations
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) – Link to information about EPA’s NPDES Storm Water Program (Phase I and Final Phase II): http://www.epa.gov/npdes/
NPDES National Stormwater Center http://www.npdes.com/
U.S. EPA's Stormwater Web site – Offers a national menu of Stormwater Phase II Best Management Practices (BMPs)designed to help regulated small MS4s identify practices they could use to develop and implement their stormwater management programs. http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/menuofbmps/menu.cfm
The site also links to Phase II case studies at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/casestudies.cfm.
In addition, the Web site offers a number of outstanding outreach materials,which can be downloaded for free at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/menuofbmps/pub_ed.cfm.
U.S. EPA Stormwater Regulations http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/regs.cfm?program_id=6
Porous Pavements
Porous Pavements, by Bruce Ferguson - the first comprehensive review of this technique, including substantial covereage of porous asphalt highway overlays. Order from http://www.amazon.com/
A good introduction to porous pavements - http://www.millermicro.com/porpave.html
View a webcast on porous pavements produced by American Public Works Association. http://www.apwa.net/events/eventdetail.asp?ID=1511
Research
Caltrans Stormwater Management Program – Information on current monitoring studies, publications, conferences, and links are presented dealing with the Stormwater Management Program. This site is oriented towards reducing the impact of California roads on aquatic resources. http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/stormwater/index.htm
Centers for Disease Control - The Division of Emergency and Environmental Health services suggests a more integrated systems-based approach to control mosquitoes when designing storm water management facilities. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects – Written by an interagency Steering Team, this 3-year study lays the conceptual groundwork for integrating plans across agency boundaries, and endorses ecosystem-based mitigation. http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/eco_index.asp
National Transportation Library – A comprehensive repository of transportation information resources, including books, technical reports, journal articles, transportation research projects, data sets, transportation policies, and links to related websites. http://ntl.bts.gov/
National Evaluation of Water Quality Issues for Highway Planning – A synthesis of past research on highway stormwater runoff condensed into a single-volume user’s manual on water quality impact assessment and mitigation. Includes a literature search on existing research and interviews with highway practitioners concerning the use of research results. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/wqnatevl.htm
National Highway Runoff Water-Quality Data and Methodology Synthesis - An evaluation and update of FHWA pollutant loadings model for highway stormwater runoff. http://ma.water.usgs.gov/fhwa.
International Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) Database – A searchable database of more than 90 studies evaluating the effectiveness of various stormwater best management practices for surface water protection. http://www.bmpdatabase.org/
Texas Aquifer Study Offers Clues to Controlling Highway Runoff – Article describes a study conducted by the Texas DOT that examines runoff pollutants under simulated rainfall conditions. Results used to formulate monitoring and mitigation strategies for potential highway impacts on the Edwards aquifer in the Austin/San Antonio region. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/txaquifr.htm
Virginia Transportation Research Council – A research brief entitled “Controlling Highway Runoff Pollution in Watersheds Supplying Drinking Water Reservoirs” details the study, research conclusions and recommendations for the use of a bioretention system for highway runoff management. http://vtrc.virginiadot.org/PubDetails.aspx?PubNo=00-R7
Washington State DOT – The research site of the Washington State DOT offers information on the research goals and projects of the department including the impacts of transportation facilities and methods on water resources. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/.
Evaluation and Management of Highway Runoff Water Quality (Water Quality Synthesis) – This manual will be useful to highway designers and environmental professionals by presenting the available and appropriate impact prediction and mitigation tools for use during highway project planning and development activities. This manual is a self-contained desk reference for highway practitioners with an extensive bibliography. To order a copy, contact the FHWA’s Office of Natural Environment at environment@fhwa.dot.gov
Guidance Manual for Monitoring Highway Runoff Water Quality – Provides guidance for selecting and using stormwater runoff monitoring equipment for monitoring of highway runoff. Published in 2001, the guidance provided is intended to improve monitoring information that will lead to better highway runoff management decision making. To order a copy, contact the FHWA’s Office of Natural Environment at environment@fhwa.dot.gov
Case Studies
Stormwater Management & Mosquito Issues – Maryland Department of the Environment fact sheet outlining revisions in MD stormwater management regulations that reduce the potential for mosquito breeding. http://www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/mosquito%202005.pdf
FHWA Environmental Excellence Awards - These biennial awards have been designed to recognize outstanding transportation projects, processes, and people who incorporate environmental stewardship into the planning and project development processes using FHWA funding sources. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/eea.htm
Emerging Issues in Transportation and Water Quality (Video) – This teleconference was targeted for state transportation environmental officials and other transportation and environmental agency employees who are interested in seeing examples of cooperative efforts in the transportation/water quality issues. The broadcast was held May 23, 1995 from the Center for Transportation and the Environment at North Carolina State University. http://itre.ncsu.edu/cte/
Trainings/Courses
Water Quality Management of Highway Runoff – A course offered by the National Highway Institute (Course #142047). Provides a basic understanding of water quality parameters, processes, requirements, and best management practices (BMPs) in order to provide the transportation community with guidance on how to mitigate impacts and protect water quality. - http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/
Organization and Agency Listing
The following list is an inventory of some of the numerous organizations and agencies that can provide you with more detailed information about highway stormwater management, and LID techniques for highway engineering and planning.
Federal Government Agencies
Department of Transportation (DOT) – http://www.dot.gov/
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, DOT – http://www.bts.gov/
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT – http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) – http://www.tfhrc.gov/
The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) – http://www.ntis.gov/
Bureau of Land Management - http://www.blm.gov/
Environmental Protection Agency – http://www.epa.gov/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – http://www.noaa.gov/
National Park Service – http://www.nps.gov/
US Fish and Wildlife Service – http://www.fws.gov/
U.S. Forest Service – http://www.fs.fed.us/
Professional Societies
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) – http://www.ite.org/
Transportation Research Board (TRB) – http://www.trb.org/
National Association of Flood and Stormwater Mangement Agencies – http://www.nafsma.org/
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials - http://www.transportation.org/
American Council of Engineering Companies - http://www.acec.org/
American Public Works Association - http://www.apwa.net/
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – http://www.asce.org/
American Society of Highway Engineers - http://www.highwayengineers.org/
Associated General Contractors - http://www.agc.org/index.ww
Association of Floodplain Managers – http://www.floods.org/
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations - http://www.ampo.org/
Association of State Wetland Managers - http://www.aswm.org/
International City/County Management Association - http://www.icma.org/
International Erosion Control Association - http://www.ieca.org/
National Association of Conservation Districts - http://www.nacdnet.org/
National Association of Counties - http://www.naco.org/
National Association of County Engineers - http://www.countyengineers.org/
National Association of Development Organizations - http://www.nado.org/
National Association of Environmental Professionals - http://www.naep.org/
National Association of Regional Councils - http://www.narc.org/
National Conference of State Legislators - http://www.ncsl.org/
National Governors Association - http://www.nga.org
National Society of Professional Engineers - http://www.nspe.org/
The Society of Wetland Scientists - http://www.sws.org/
Union of Concerned Scientists – http://www.ucsusa.org/
US Conference of Mayors - http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp
Organizations
The Local Government Environmental Assistance Network – http://www.lgean.org/
Center for Transportation and the Environment – http://itre.ncsu.edu/cte
Center for Watershed Protection - http://www.cwp.org/
Environmental and Water Resources Institute (of ASCE) - http://www.ewrinstitute.org/
Low Impact Development Center - http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/
National Highway Institute - http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/
Stormwater Authority - http://www.stormwaterauthority.org/
Water Environment Research Foundation – http://www.werf.org/
Magazines/Newsletters
Better Roads Magazine - http://www.betterroads.com/
Expressways Online - http://www.expresswaysonline.com/
Land and Water Magazine - http://www.landandwater.com/
Roads and Bridges Magazine - http://www.roadsbridges.com/
US Roads: Road Management and Engineering Journal - www.usroads.com/journals/rmej.htm