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2010 Stormwater Management Report (PDF) - US Environmental ...

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9.0 ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURAL CONTROLS<br />

9.1 CATCH BASINS<br />

The Commission relies on catch basins as the primary means for preventing the transport<br />

of sediments, debris, and other contaminants to storm drains and receiving waters. The<br />

Commission’s <strong>Stormwater</strong> Monitoring Program included a demonstration project to<br />

evaluate the effectiveness of catch basins in capturing solids. The demonstration project<br />

started in 2001 and concluded in 2002. The results of the demonstration project<br />

(described in previous annual reports) indicated that a clean and well-maintained catch<br />

basin will remove between 10 to 33 percent of the total solids from stormwater flow<br />

through the basin. The data also suggested that a catch basin’s ability to remove solids<br />

diminishes as the sump of the catch basin approaches half full. These findings are<br />

consistent with the conclusions of other similar studies reported in the literature.<br />

The Commission continued to measure the depth of sediment in the catch basin sumps on<br />

a quarterly basis through the beginning of 2004. The results showed that sediment depths<br />

in the two catch basins monitored continued to increase between April 2002 and May<br />

2003, but began to level off and even decline, as the basins approached 50 percent full.<br />

This finding appears to confirm that the catch basin had achieved their maximum<br />

effectiveness.<br />

Under the Commission’s Catch Basin Inspection and Cleaning Program the sediment<br />

depths in one hundred catch basins were monitored between January 2002 and April<br />

2003, to determine the factors that effect how quickly catch basins become full.<br />

Variables considered in selecting the catch basins to be monitored included slope, land<br />

use and the size of the tributary area, the type of road (highly traveled road vs. back<br />

road), and tree cover. The selected catch basins were inspected four times each on a<br />

quarterly basis and the depth of sediment measured.<br />

No statistically significant correlation between land use and accumulation rates was<br />

observed. Similarly, no correlation was observed based on slope, drainage area, or<br />

neighborhood characteristics. Some correlation with tree cover was observed, with the<br />

catch basins located in areas of denser tree coverage demonstrating as much as 50 percent<br />

higher accumulation rates as compared to basins with little or no tree cover. The data<br />

also exhibited a seasonal correlation, with the winter months demonstrating the highest<br />

accumulation rates.<br />

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