Watershed-Driven Stormwater Management
| GHP Stormwater Theme Team’s mission is to integrate public and private stakeholder interests in the restoration and sustainable usage of natural resources, centered on the “Watershed Approach.” Such an approach—as detailed below— will serve as a model for watershed-management in the Mid-Atlantic and, eventually, throughout the country. | Click here to read about pervious concrete pavement and stormwater management.
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Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA) has made tremendous progress in developing watershed-based stormwater management strategies. Raja Veeramachaneni, MDSHA, has become a pioneer in this area; he points out that conventional approaches to stormwater management focus on point discharges and are designed only to meet regulatory requirements. However, these practices don’t necessarily address watershed needs. To aid in watershed recovery, address watershed impairments, and still fulfill Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements, designers must begin thinking outside of the right-of-way. The MDSHA Watershed Approach concept recognizes that highways coexist with other land usages; it allows highway agencies to deliver the most cost-effective protection—and improvement— to watersheds. Utilizing this approach, the Team plans to implement 10 pilot projects in the Mid-Atlantic that will improve watershed health and serve as examples for the country. As you can see from the chart below, the potential benefits are enormous. | |
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The Green Highways Partnership Stormwater Theme Team has identified a number of trail-blazing research opportunities regarding highway stormwater management. The targeted research areas encompass BMP maintenance, modeling, and effectiveness, pollutant trading, and information sharing. The team is currently working to narrow the list to a few projects that can be supported through the partnership. Some of the leading projects include the following:
- Development of nationally applicable BMP operations and maintenance guidance.
- Formulation of stormwater runoff and BMP performance and design database specific to highways.
- Creation of standard methods, models, and data for establishing critical needs within a watershed to prioritize areas for retrofit and BMP implementation