Comparing Costs of Onsite Best Management Practices to Nutrient Credits for Stormwater Management: A Case Study in Virginia

A strategy for sustainable stormwater management is needed. This study has focused on the relative importance of stormwater as a pollutant source in a catchbasin, if Best Management Practices (BMPs) result in pollutant removal or pollutant redistribution, and methods for screening of stormwater strategies. Stormwater is most likely an important pathway for pollutants in a catchbasin perspective. True pollutant removal can only be achieved if the pollutant sources are eliminated. Until that is reached, we should have the best possible control of the pollutant fluxes in the watershed. This study indicates that the search for a sustainable stormwater strategy could be easier to handle if different “screens” could be used. The Swedish environmental objectives, which try to encapsulate all aspects of sustainability, may be used as a foundation for a “sustainability screen”. By using this screen, the “unsustainable” features of different stormwater strategies could be pointed out. A “standards and legislation screen” will be based on the EU Water Framework Directive. As this study has shown, it is doubtful whether the conventional BMPs, such as stormwater ponds and infiltration facilities, produce a sufficient pollutant control.

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Selecting a Pesticide Fate Model at the Watershed Scale Using a Multi-criteria Analysis

Water Quality Research Journal ◽

10.2166/wqrj.2006.032 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 283-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Renaud Quilbé ◽

Alain N. Rousseau ◽

Pierre Lafrance ◽

Jacinthe Leclerc ◽

Mohamed Amrani

Keyword(s):

Best Management Practices ◽

Management Practices ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Watershed Scale ◽

Water Quality Standards ◽

Best Management ◽

Multi Criteria Analysis ◽

Selection Framework ◽

Selection Of

Abstract Numerous models have been developed over the last decades to simulate the fate of pesticides at the watershed scale. Based on a literature review, we inventoried thirty-six models categorized as management, research, screening or multimedia models, each of them having specific strengths and weaknesses. Given this large number of models, it may be difficult for potential users (stakeholders or scientists) to find the most suited one with respect to their needs. To help in this process, this paper proposes a pragmatic approach based on a multi-criteria analysis. Selection criteria are defined following the user's needs and classified in five classes: modelling characteristics, output variables, model applicability, possibilities to simulate best management practices (BMPs) and ease of use. The relative importance of each criterion is quantified by a weight and the total score of a model is calculated by adding the resulting weights of satisfied criteria. This selection framework is illustrated with a case study that consists in selecting a model to develop water quality standards at the watershed scale with respect to the implementation of BMPs. This resulted in the selection of three models: BASINS, SWAT and GIBSI.

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