Field Measurements of Non-Point Source Pollutant of Stormwater BMP’s in the UD Experimental Watershed

Abstract

On the University of Delaware Campus student researchers sought to examine the pollutant removal efficiency of several installed stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs). Stormwater BMPs are a candidate restoration strategy for the Christina Basin of northeastern Delaware and Southeastern Pennsylvania. This report seeks to obtain efficiency data for those stormwater BMPs already installed on the University of Delaware campus. Stormwater runoff was collected for three separate rainfall events at designated inflow and outflow stations in two stormwater BMPs—a bioretention site and a combination wetland swale. Results were mixed but promising. The conclusions drawn were that with continued maintenance and planting of native vegetation stormwater wetlands can be effective in protecting receiving waters.