Popis: |
In response to water quality concerns in the Jordan Lake Reservoir and state and federal mandates, several cities in North Carolina are being required for the first time to reduce nutrient loads in stormwater from previously developed lands; that is, install retrofits. It is anticipated that similar requirements will become necessary for other urban areas in North Carolina. The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of alternative approaches to stormwater management for existing developments within North Carolina cities. Geographic coverage of the study included a portion of the New Hope Creek watershed, located within the City of Durham in central North Carolina. The watershed was analyzed to identify potential retrofit opportunities that could be implemented to reduce pollutant loadings entering New Hope Creek and, ultimately, Jordan Lake. Current pollutant loadings generated by the watershed, as well as reductions in annual loadings of total suspended solids, total nitrogen and total phosphorus that could be achieved by implementing the identified retrofits, were estimated. Trends and relationships between land use type and the quantity and type of retrofit opportunities were identified and conclusions were drawn as to the most appropriate types of retrofits for certain land uses. |