Conveyance and End-of-Pipe Measures for Stormwater - FCM

5. Evaluation of Facilities
5.1 Operational Monitoring
Requirements
To evaluate the effectiveness of the best
management practice application, whether
it is an entire program or a particular facility,
normally requires operation monitoring.
The type of monitoring to be considered
depends on the objective of the program.
The common monitoring parameters for most
programs are water quantity and quality.
Measurements will be required for the inflow
and outflow of the system, and in some cases
for the system overflow. Other monitoring
parameters to be considered for particular
control facilities include:
■ water level, volume, and quality of water
and sediment in ponds and sedimentation
facilities;
■ monitoring of the aquatic biota in wetlands
and wet ponds; and
■ monitoring of the aquatic habitat, biota,
and water quality in the receiving water
body.
During the planning and design stages
of the best management practice, a detailed
monitoring program should be established.
The program will discuss monitoring
objectives, parameters to be considered,
location and type of equipment, frequency
of measurements, and sampling (ASCE, 2000).
To evaluate the effectiveness of the best
management practice, some monitoring
activities may be required before
implementing the practice to establish
the existing conditions, which serve as the base
line. Whether the practice is implemented for
an existing storm drainage system to minimize
problems and enhance the performance of the
system, or is implemented for new development
to minimize future impacts, the existing
conditions could serve as a base line
for evaluation purposes.
Reporting could be required by provincial
or agency jurisdiction, in which case
the method and frequency of monitoring
the effectiveness of the implemented best
management practice will need to meet
the regulatory agency requirements.
The municipality should consider such
requirements on the planning of the monitoring
program.
5.2 Research Needs
Research needs for conveyance control
and end-of-pipe control for stormwater
management would be basically centred
on quantifying the effectiveness, limitations,
and operation and maintenance requirements
of some best management practice facilities
(Marsalek, 2003a). Some of these facilities
are relatively new, with little actual experience,
while others use established technologies
with widespread application, but have limited
knowledge of their operation and maintenance.
The following examples identify potential
research needs:
■ Identify sediment removal and other
maintenance requirements in storage
and sedimentation facilities, and correlate
the results to the physical characteristics
of the catchment area and the design
parameters considered.
■ Identify maintenance requirements for
infiltration/exfiltration systems and the
frequency and cost of cleaning them
to maintain their efficiency during their
life cycle.
■ Investigate secondary environmental
effects resulting from the implementation
of best management practice measures
(e.g., the potential impact of the rise
of water temperature in surface ponds
on the cold water fisheries in the receiving
water).
Conveyance and End-of-Pipe Measures for Stormwater Control — July 2005 43
5. Evaluation of
Facilities
5.1 Operational
Monitoring
Requirements
5.2 Research Needs