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Urban stormwater runoff has been identified as a major non-point source pollution contributor. As pressure to develop once rural areas increases, the burden urban runoff places on local waterways becomes of greater concern. Loadings of heavy metals, sediments, and excess nutrients have been identified in urban runoff. Impervious surfaces in urban areas exacerbate the problem by increasing the volume and flow rate of runoff and providing an area for contaminants to accumulate before wash off. The effort to control the effects of urban runoff has sparked interest in the development of natural-based treatment systems.
The most effective mechanism for controlling urban NPS pollution is to reduce the amount of runoff through infiltration and storage on the landscape. Reductions in runoff decrease the pollutant carrying capacity of the runoff and reduce erosive in-channel flows. Traditional infiltration best management practices (BMPs) have lacked long-term effectiveness because of clogging with sediment and debris. The addition of vegetation to the system enhances the longevity of infiltration BMPs by enhancing soil structure and creating a root network for transport of water. Additionally, the biology of a planted system helps to degrade and remove pollutants from the runoff. Therefore, in order to effectively design vegetated urban stormwater BMPs, it is necessary to understand the impact of root development and soil type on infiltration rates and the impact of different vegetation species on pollutant degradation and removal.
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The Biological and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) Department at Kansas State University is working with the City of Topeka to develop a better understanding of vegetated BMPs and how they work to control urban stormwater runoff quantity and quality in the Midwest. The focus of the research program is to assess vegetation species adapted to the region, primarily native prairie plants, that are capable of developing extensive root structures to enhance infiltration and soil-water storage and provide an active biological community for pollutant degradation.
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