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Krauss L, Rippy MA. Adaptive strategy biases in engineered ecosystems: Implications for plant community dynamics and the provisioning of ecosystem services to people. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Krauss
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Manassas Virginia USA
| | - Megan A. Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Manassas Virginia USA
- Center for Coastal Studies Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia USA
- Disaster Resilience and Risk Management (DRRM) Blacksburg Virginia USA
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2
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Wells EC, Vidmar AM, Webb WA, Ferguson AC, Verbyla ME, de Los Reyes FL, Zhang Q, Mihelcic JR. Meeting the Water and Sanitation Challenges of Underbounded Communities in the U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:11180-11188. [PMID: 35930490 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water and sanitation (wastewater) infrastructure in the United States is aging and deteriorating, with massive underinvestment over the past several decades. For many years, lack of attention to water and sanitation infrastructure has combined with racial segregation and discrimination to produce uneven access to water and wastewater services resulting in growing threats to human and environmental health. In many metropolitan areas in the U.S., those that often suffer disproportionately are residents of low-income, minority communities located in urban disadvantaged unincorporated areas on the margins of major cities. Through the process of underbounding (the selective expansion of city boundaries to exclude certain neighborhoods often based on racial demographics or economics), residents of these communities are disallowed municipal citizenship and live without piped water, sewage lines, and adequate drainage or flood control. This Perspective identifies the range of water and sanitation challenges faced by residents in these communities. We argue that future investment in water and sanitation should prioritize these communities and that interventions need to be culturally context sensitive. As such, approaches to address these problems must not only be technical but also social and give attention to the unique geographic and political setting of local infrastructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Christian Wells
- Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Abby M Vidmar
- Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - W Alex Webb
- Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Alesia C Ferguson
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 27411, United States
| | - Matthew E Verbyla
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Francis L de Los Reyes
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - James R Mihelcic
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
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3
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Rippy MA, Pierce G, Feldman D, Winfrey B, Mehring AS, Holden PA, Ambrose R, Levin LA. Perceived services and disservices of natural treatment systems for urban stormwater: Insight from the next generation of designers. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Megan A. Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Manassas VA USA
- Center for Coastal Studies Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA USA
| | - Gregory Pierce
- UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Luskin School of Public Affairs Los Angeles CA USA
| | - David Feldman
- Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy, School of Social Ecology University of California Irvine CA USA
| | - Brandon Winfrey
- Water Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering Monash University Clayton Vic Australia
| | | | - Patricia A. Holden
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management University of California Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Richard. Ambrose
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karen Fielding School of Public Health University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA USA
| | - Lisa A. Levin
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego La Jolla CA USA
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4
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Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Spatial Green Stormwater Infrastructure Research. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of vegetation and infiltration into soils to manage stormwater and water quality—called green stormwater infrastructure (GSI)—is now widely recognized as a viable alternative or supplement to the pipes and pumps of conventional, or “gray”, drainage infrastructure. Over the years, much research has emerged regarding spatial aspects of GSI implemented at large scales, including where it is located, where it should be located, and what metrics best represent the benefits it brings to different locations. Research in these areas involves expertise from multiple academic disciplines, but it is unclear whether and how researchers from different disciplines identify and approach questions related to the spatiality of GSI. By adopting the explanatory sequential mixed method design, we identified four categories of spatial GSI studies through a literature review of over 120 research papers: empirical, ecological, decision support systems, and optimization. Here, we present representative examples of these categories of spatial GSI studies, as well as associations between the academic disciplines represented in these categories of spatial GSI papers. Then, we conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of GSI researchers which revealed the value of interdisciplinary training and knowledge. Finally, in this paper, we identify several gaps that could be addressed to improve interdisciplinary research on GSI implementation, and sustainability transitions in general.
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5
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Social Barriers and the Hiatus from Successful Green Stormwater Infrastructure Implementation across the US. HYDROLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/hydrology8010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), a nature-inspired, engineered stormwater management approach, has been increasingly implemented and studied especially over the last two decades. Though recent studies have elucidated the social benefits of GSI implementation in addition to its environmental and economic benefits, the social factors that influence its implementation remain under-explored thus, there remains a need to understand social barriers on decisions for GSI. This review draws interdisciplinary research attention to the connections between such social barriers and the potentially underlying cognitive biases that can influence rational decision making. Subsequently, this study reviewed the agent-based modeling (ABM) approach in decision support for promoting innovative strategies in water management for long-term resilience at an individual level. It is suggested that a collaborative and simultaneous effort in governance transitioning, public engagement, and adequate considerations of demographic constraints are crucial to successful GSI acceptance and implementation in the US.
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Herrmann DL, Schwarz K, Allen CR, Angeler DG, Eason T, Garmestani A. Iterative scenarios for social-ecological systems. ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE SCIENCE FOR RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY 2021; 26:1-9. [PMID: 35116065 PMCID: PMC8809091 DOI: 10.5751/es-12706-260408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Managing social-ecological systems toward desirable regimes requires learning about the system being managed while preparing for many possible futures. Adaptive management (AM) and scenario planning (SP) are two systems management approaches that separately use learning to reduce uncertainties and employ planning to manage irreducible uncertainties, respectively. However, each of these approaches have limitations that confound management of social-ecological systems. Here, we introduce iterative scenarios (IS), a systems management approach that is a hybrid of the scopes and relationships to uncertainty and controllability of AM and SP that combines the "iterativeness" of AM and futures planning of SP. Iterative scenarios is appropriate for situations with high uncertainty about whether a management action will lead to intended outcomes, the desired benefits are numerous and cross-scale, and it is difficult to account for the social implications around the natural resource management options. The value of iterative scenarios is demonstrated by applying the approach to green infrastructure futures for a neighborhood in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., that had experienced long-term, systemic disinvestment. The Cleveland green infrastructure project was particularly well suited to the IS approach given that learning about environmental factors was necessary and achievable, but what would be socially desirable and possible was unknown. However, iterative scenarios is appropriate for many social-ecological systems where uncertainty is high as IS accommodates real-world complexity faced by management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin L Herrmann
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside
| | - Kirsten Schwarz
- Departments of Urban Planning and Environmental Health Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles
| | - Craig R Allen
- Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| | - David G Angeler
- Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment
| | - Tarsha Eason
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling
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7
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Venkataramanan V, Lopez D, McCuskey DJ, Kiefus D, McDonald RI, Miller WM, Packman AI, Young SL. Knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior related to green infrastructure for flood management: A systematic literature review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 720:137606. [PMID: 32325585 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Green infrastructure (GI), which mimics natural hydrological systems, is a promising solution for flood management at the intersection of urban built infrastructure and natural systems. However, it has not yet achieved widespread uptake, due in part to insufficient understanding of human dimensions of the broader socio-ecological-technical system. We therefore conducted a multidisciplinary systematic literature review to synthesize research on people's existing knowledge about flood risk and GI, and how that shapes their attitudes and motivation to adopt new solutions. We systematically screened 21,207 studies on GI for flood management; 85 met our inclusion criteria. We qualitatively analyzed these studies to extract results on knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior relating to GI for flood management. Overall, knowledge of GI was low across the 44 studies in which it was evaluated. Seventy studies assessed attitudes about GI, including the functional, aesthetic, health and safety, recreational, conservation, financial, and cultural value of GI, albeit their measurement was inconsistent. Willingness to implement or pay for GI varied considerably across 55 studies in which it was measured. Twenty studies measured and documented behavior relating to GI use, and these found low rates of adoption. Few studies systematically assessed the role of demographic, socio-economic, or geographic characteristics that could influence individuals' knowledge, attitudes, intentions or behavior, and thereby the success of GI programs. We recommend that researchers should more systematically capture data on human dimensions of GI (i.e. knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior) across diverse settings to improve program design and uptake, especially among vulnerable populations. Greater attention to the social component of the socio-ecological-technical system will help ensure that GI programs are equitable, inclusive, and sustainable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Venkataramanan
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Denise Lopez
- Department of Sociology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - David J McCuskey
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Kiefus
- Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Robert I McDonald
- Build Healthy Cities Program, The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA, USA
| | - William M Miller
- Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Aaron I Packman
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Sera L Young
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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8
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Stakeholders’ Engagement on Nature-Based Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12020640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cities are facing a broad range of social and environmental challenges due to the current pressure of global urbanization. Nature-based solutions aim to utilize green infrastructure to improve people’s health and wellbeing. The design of urban environments must embrace the individual ideals of citizens and stakeholders which can only be achieved if effective methods of communication, involvement, and feedback are ensured. Such a procedure creates trust during its implementation, helping to take ownership and stewardship of processes and sites. This systematic literature review explores the current state of the art regarding citizen and stakeholder participation in nature-based solutions (NBS). The search on the SCOPUS database identified 142 papers in total that met the inclusion criteria. The participation analysis was separated in two areas: (a) analysis of perceptions, preferences, and perspectives of citizens and stakeholders, and (b) analysis of the participation process, including challenges and opportunities, motivations, methods and frameworks, and collaborative governance. The results revealed that stakeholder and citizen participation or collaboration in nature-based solutions is increasingly recognized as promising; however, research in several related domains is still lacking.
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9
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Resilient Urban Water Services for the 21th Century Society—Stakeholder Survey in Finland. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12010187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Resilience has become a vital theme in the discussion concerning urban water services. Resilience in this context can be defined as both keeping up a good level of services, as well as rapid and fluent recovery from failures caused by natural disasters, unsound infrastructure or incorrect management. Although adequate water services resilience can be considered as sustainable, resilience is a wider concept than sustainability. In order to call water services resilient, all sections from policy and management to technical operation should be clear and coherent, and their operation in challenging situations also must be guaranteed. This study seeks a resilient approach to water services through a literature review, and a questionnaire to stakeholders; mainly water supply and sanitation experts. The results show that sufficient technology and good water quality are not sufficient for achieving resilient water services, but also education and institutional management are essential issues. These are accomplished by a methodical education system, capacity building, and good governance.
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Sun J, Cheshmehzangi A, Wang S. Green Infrastructure Practice and a Sustainability Key Performance Indicators Framework for Neighbourhood-Level Construction of Sponge City Programme. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.4236/jep.2020.112007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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11
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Stewart RD, Bhaskar AS, Parolari AJ, Herrmann DL, Jian J, Schifman LA, Shuster WD. An analytical approach to ascertain saturation-excess versus infiltration-excess overland flow in urban and reference landscapes. HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES 2019; 33:3349-3363. [PMID: 32831472 PMCID: PMC7433200 DOI: 10.1002/hyp.13562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Uncontrolled overland flow drives flooding, erosion, and contaminant transport, with the severity of these outcomes often amplified in urban areas. In pervious media such as urban soils, overland flow is initiated via either infiltration-excess (where precipitation rate exceeds infiltration capacity) or saturation-excess (when precipitation volume exceeds soil profile storage) mechanisms. These processes call for different management strategies, making it important for municipalities to discern between them. In this study, we derived a generalized one-dimensional model that distinguishes between infiltration-excess overland flow (IEOF) and saturation-excess overland flow (SEOF) using Green-Ampt infiltration concepts. Next, we applied this model to estimate overland flow generation from pervious areas in 11 U.S. cities. We used rainfall forcing that represented low- and high-intensity events and compared responses among measured urban versus predevelopment reference soil hydraulic properties. The derivation showed that the propensity for IEOF versus SEOF is related to the equivalence between two nondimensional ratios: (a) precipitation rate to depth-weighted hydraulic conductivity and (b) depth of soil profile restrictive layer to soil capillary potential. Across all cities, reference soil profiles were associated with greater IEOF for the high-intensity set of storms, and urbanized soil profiles tended towards production of SEOF during the lower intensity set of storms. Urban soils produced more cumulative overland flow as a fraction of cumulative precipitation than did reference soils, particularly under conditions associated with SEOF. These results will assist cities in identifying the type and extent of interventions needed to manage storm water produced from pervious areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D. Stewart
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Aditi S. Bhaskar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Anthony J. Parolari
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Dustin L. Herrmann
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant Program with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jinshi Jian
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - William D. Shuster
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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12
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Can We Really Have It All?—Designing Multifunctionality with Sustainable Urban Drainage System Elements. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11071854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Multifunctionality is seen as one of the key benefits delivered by sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS). It has been promoted by both scientific research and practical guidelines. However, interrelations between different benefits are vaguely defined, thus highlighting a lack of knowledge on ways they could be promoted in the actual design process. In this research, multifunctionality has been studied with the help of scenario analysis. Three stormwater scenarios involving different range of SUDS elements have been designed for the case area of Kirstinpuisto in the city of Turku, Finland. Thereafter, the alternative design scenarios have been assessed with four criteria related to multifunctionality (water quantity, water quality, amenity, and biodiversity). The results showed that multifunctionality could be analyzed in the design phase itself, and thus provided knowingly. However, assessing amenity and biodiversity values is more complex and in addition, we still lack proper methods. As the four criteria have mutual interconnections, multifunctionality should be considered during the landscape architectural design, or else we could likely lose some benefits related to multifunctionality. This reinforces emerging understanding that an interdisciplinary approach is needed to combine ecological comprehension together with the system thinking into SUDS design, locating them not as individual elements or as a part of the treatment train, but in connection with wider social ecological framework of urban landscape.
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13
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Christian Wells E, Alex Webb W, Prouty CM, Zarger RK, Trotz MA, Whiteford LM, Mihelcic JR. Wastewater technopolitics on the southern coast of Belize. ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/sea2.12145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Christian Wells
- Department of Anthropology; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - W. Alex Webb
- Department of Anthropology; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Christine M. Prouty
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Rebecca K. Zarger
- Department of Anthropology; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Maya A. Trotz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Linda M. Whiteford
- Department of Anthropology; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - James R. Mihelcic
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; University of South Florida; Tampa FL 33620 USA
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Schifman LA, Tryby ME, Berner J, Shuster WD. Managing Uncertainty in Runoff Estimation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Stormwater Calculator. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION 2019; 54:148-159. [PMID: 31631958 PMCID: PMC6800719 DOI: 10.1111/1752-1688.12599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Stormwater Calculator (NSWC) simplifies the task of estimating runoff through a straightforward simulation process based on the EPA Stormwater Management Model. The NSWC accesses localized climate and soil hydrology data, and options to experiment with low-impact development (LID) features for parcels up to 5 ha in size. We discuss how the NSWC treats the urban hydrologic cycle and focus on the estimation uncertainty in soil hydrology and its impact on runoff simulation by comparing field-measured soil hydrologic data from 12 cities to corresponding NSWC estimates in three case studies. The default NSWC hydraulic conductivity is 10.1 mm/h, which underestimates conductivity measurements for New Orleans, Louisiana (95 ± 27 mm/h) and overestimates that for Omaha, Nebraska (3.0 ± 1.0 mm/h). Across all cities, the NSWC prediction, on average, underestimated hydraulic conductivity by 10.5 mm/h compared to corresponding measured values. In evaluating how LID interact with soil hydrology and runoff response, we found direct hydrologic interaction with pre-existing soil shows high sensitivity in runoff prediction, whereas LID isolated from soils show less impact. Simulations with LID on higher permeability soils indicate that nearly all of pre-LID runoff is treated; while features interacting with less-permeable soils treat only 50%. We highlight the NSWC as a screening-level tool for site runoff dynamics and its suitability in stormwater management.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Schifman
- Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; and Landscape
| | - M E Tryby
- Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; and Landscape
| | - J Berner
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 20460
| | - W D Shuster
- Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; and Landscape
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15
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Gordon BL, Quesnel KJ, Abs R, Ajami NK. A case-study based framework for assessing the multi-sector performance of green infrastructure. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 223:371-384. [PMID: 29936350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Green infrastructure is emerging as a holistic stormwater management strategy that can also provide multi-sector benefits. Robust demonstration of project success can help leverage the appeal of green infrastructure to different sectors and open the door to a variety of funding opportunities. Yet comprehensively assessing the performance of these natural systems can be challenging, especially when communicating the benefits to a wide variety of stakeholders. A cohesive, well-described assessment structure may promote a higher degree of investor confidence by more comprehensively monitoring and measuring green infrastructure success. This paper develops a conceptual framework that incorporates a robust assessment component for communicating with potential investors through the inclusion of multiple evaluation methods, performance metrics, and risk categories. The applied performance of this framework is then validated using fourteen U.S. and international case studies. We found that our framework fit a wide range of projects while maintaining a degree of flexibility that did not sacrifice specificity when applied to individual case studies. This suggests that: 1) some GI projects already incorporate one or more evaluation methods; 2) a number of highly specific metrics-particularly social and economic performance metrics-exist that are capable of capturing a wide-range of benefits that can be easily integrated into a framework; 3) the incorporation of risk and risk management technique identification could be emphasized to increase investor confidence; 4) at least some degree of standardization across projects exists already which can help future project implementers design GI strategies that best fit their needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice L Gordon
- Water in the West Program, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Room 216, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA; Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Room 218B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Kimberly J Quesnel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega Room 314, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ReNUWit Engineering Research Center, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega Room 117, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Robin Abs
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega Room 314, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Newsha K Ajami
- Water in the West Program, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Room 216, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA; ReNUWit Engineering Research Center, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega Room 117, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Room 218B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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16
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Herrmann DL, Schifman LA, Shuster WD. Widespread loss of intermediate soil horizons in urban landscapes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:6751-6755. [PMID: 29891715 PMCID: PMC6042071 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1800305115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Soils support terrestrial ecosystem function and therefore are critical urban infrastructure for generating ecosystem services. Urbanization processes modify ecosystem function by changing the layers of soils identified as soil horizons. Soil horizons are integrative proxies for suites of soil properties and as such can be used as an observable unit to track modifications within soil profiles. Here, in an analysis of 11 cities representing 10 of the 12 soil orders, we show that urban soils have ∼50% fewer soil horizons than preurban soils. Specifically, B horizons were much less common in urban soils and were replaced by a deepening of A horizons and a shallowing of C horizons. This shift is likely due to two processes: (i) local management, i.e., soil removal, mixing, and fill additions, and (ii) soil development timelines, i.e., urbanized soils are young and have had short time periods for soil horizon development since urbanization (decades to centuries) relative to soil formation before urbanization (centuries to millennia). Urban soils also deviated from the standard A-B-C horizon ordering at a much greater frequency than preurban soils. Overall, our finding of common shifts in urban soil profiles across soil orders and cities suggests that urban soils may function differently from their preurban antecedents. This work introduces a basis for improving our understanding of soil modifications by urbanization and its potential effects on ecosystem functioning and thereby has implications for ecosystem services derived from urban landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin L Herrmann
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant Program with National Risk Management Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268
| | - Laura A Schifman
- National Research Council Research Associate Program with National Risk Management Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268
| | - William D Shuster
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268
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17
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Green Infrastructure through Citizen Stormwater Management: Policy Instruments, Participation and Engagement. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10062099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Combining Co-Benefits and Stakeholders Perceptions into Green Infrastructure Selection for Flood Risk Reduction. ENVIRONMENTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/environments5020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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19
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Stanke C, Murray V, Amlôt R, Nurse J, Williams R. The effects of flooding on mental health: Outcomes and recommendations from a review of the literature. PLOS CURRENTS 2012; 246:868-880. [PMID: 23066515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Introduction While most people who are involved in disasters recover with the support of their families, friends and colleagues, the effects on some people's health, relationships and welfare can be extensive and sustained. Flooding can pose substantial social and mental health problems that may continue over extended periods of time. Flooding can challenge the psychosocial resilience of the hardiest of people who are affected. Methods The Health Protection Agency (HPA) undertook a review of the literature published from 2004 to 2010. It is intended to: assess and appraise the epidemiological evidence on flooding and mental health; assess the existing guidance on emergency planning for the impacts of flooding on psychosocial and mental health needs; provide a detailed report for policymakers and services on practical methods to reduce the impacts of flooding on the mental health of affected people; and identify where research can support future evidence-based guidance. The HPA identified 48 papers which met its criteria. The team also reviewed and discussed relevant government and non-government guidance documents. This paper presents a summary of the outcomes and recommendations from this review of the literature. Results The review indicates that flooding affects people of all ages, can exacerbate or provoke mental health problems, and highlights the importance of secondary stressors in prolonging the psychosocial impacts of flooding. The distressing experiences that the majority of people experience transiently or for longer periods after disasters can be difficult to distinguish from symptoms of common mental disorders. This emphasises the need to reduce the impact of primary and secondary stressors on people affected by flooding and the importance of narrative approaches to differentiate distress from mental disorder. Much of the literature focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder; diagnosable depressive and anxiety disorders and substance misuse are under-represented in the published data. Most people's psychosocial needs are met through their close relationships with their families, friends and communities; smaller proportions of people are likely to require specialised mental healthcare. Finally, there are a number of methodological challenges that arise when conducting research and when analysing and comparing data on the psychosocial and mental health impacts of floods. Conclusions The HPA's findings showed that a multi-sector approach that involves communities as well as agencies is the best way to promote wellbeing and recovery. Agreeing and using internationally understood definitions of and the thresholds that separate distress, mental health and mental ill health would improve the process of assessing, analysing and comparing research findings. Further research is needed on the longitudinal effects of flooding on people's mental health, the effects of successive flooding on populations, and the effects of flooding on the mental health of children, young people and older people and people who respond to the needs of other persons in the aftermath of disasters. Corresponding author: Carla Stanke Address: Health Protection Agency 151 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SZ E-mail: carla.stanke@hpa.org.uk Fax: 020 7811 7759 Telephone: 020 7811 7161.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Stanke
- Environmental Public Health Scientist, Extreme Events and Health Protection Section, Health Protection Agency, London UK
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