Modeling municipal level green infrastructure runoff mitigation using EPA SUSTAIN

Background/Question/Methods

Urban runoff management has been practiced from antiquity, but its implementation in the last few centuries has emphasized subsurface engineering-based methods of runoff conveyance, often to the detriment of ecological systems. However, some recent planning approaches to urban runoff have moved to consider ecological structure and function at several scales to supplement subsurface conveyance systems. These new approaches – collectively termed green infrastructure– leverage low-impact design (LID) urban planning methods (e.g. bioswales and green roofs) and are driven by increasing regulatory pressures to supplement existing runoff management systems in both established and rapidly growing cities.

Results/Conclusions

We model a green infrastructure matrix for a municipal-level community for runoff capture using the EPA’s System for Urban Stormwater Treatment and Analysis INtegration (SUSTAIN) application. Results show the runoff capture capacity optimized for spatial configuration and are intended to serve municipal planners in implementing green infrastructure policies.