Extended Description of Database

Background: Why is this database needed and what is its purpose?

Although a myriad of literature on urban stormwater best management practices (BMP) design, maintenance and effectiveness exists, there has been no centralized, easy-to-use, scientifically-sound tool for assessing the appropriateness of BMPs under various conditions. In addition, the information contained in the literature to date has not been collected and developed using consistent methods, reporting information and analysis techniques that would allow for the scientific assessment of BMP design and resulting effectiveness. In response to this need, the Urban Water Resources Research Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a scientifically-based approach and management tool for the information needed to evaluate the effectiveness of urban stormwater runoff BMPs nationwide. The long-term goal of the project is to promote technical design improvements for BMPs and to better match their selection and design to the local stormwater problems being addressed.

Who put this database together?

National stormwater experts involved with the ASCE Urban Water Resources Research Council joined together to (1) collect and evaluate existing BMP performance data, (2) develop BMP evaluation protocol, and (3) design and create a database. The effort was led by a team including Ben Urbonas, P.E., of the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, Denver, Colorado; Jonathan Jones, P.E., John O'Brien (Senior Software Programmer), Jane Clary, and Ted Brown of Wright Water Engineers, Inc.; and Eric Strecker, P.E., and Marcus Quigley of Woodward-Clyde International. In addition to the entire council membership providing support for this project, other key team members include Dr. Jim Heaney, Dr. Wayne Huber, Dr. Betty Rushton, Mr. Thomas Schueler, Mr. Richard Claytor, Dr. Shaw Yu, Mr. Eugene Driscoll, and Dr. Edwin Herricks. Together they bring practical engineering and scientific expertise on the types of information that engineers, planners, citizen groups, and officials need to evaluate the appropriateness of BMPs for different projects.

The database is being prepared with financial assistance from EPA under Cooperative Agreement No. CX824555, managed by Eric Strassler, Project Officer, EPA Office of Water.

Approach

In 1995, under the first phase of this project, the team began developing a framework for the information needs from individual studies of BMP performance so that, when these studies were evaluated together, the factors which led to the reported performances could be evaluated to improve BMP design and selection. In addition, an annotated bibliography on known BMP evaluations was compiled. This work resulted in a recommended work plan to develop this national database and BMP performance evaluation protocols.

Graphic of "Overview of Document Collection and Review Process"

This database has been designed with a user-friendly relational database software package to enable consistent storage, retrieval, and use of BMP evaluation data. Initially, the database will be limited to a compilation of information on known BMP evaluation efforts over the last 15 years in the United States. Eventually, the database will include the nationwide collection of information on the characteristics of structural and non-structural BMPs, data collection efforts (e.g., sampling and flow gauging equipment), climatological characteristics, watershed characteristics, hydrologic data, and constituent data. The data entered into this database will be subject to stringent quality control review. The database will continue to grow as new BMP data become available. The database software and initial data entries are expected to be completed in 1999. Both will be distributed by CD-ROM. Updates will probably be made available through the Internet.

Graphic of "Overview of Data Requirements and Relationships"

To make this effort successful, a large database is essential. Consequently, it is imperative that BMP designers, owners, and operators from throughout the United States submit their BMP performance evaluation data and associated BMP watershed characteristics for potential entry into this database. In addition, researchers planning to conduct BMP performance evaluations in the future should compile and collect the BMP reporting information as described in the BMP information needs listing developed during the first part of the project.

Please contact the ASCE-EPA Project Team for further information.


Background Documents