Unified methodology for site-characterization and sampling of highway runoff

• Published in: Frontiers of environmental science & engineering Vol. 4; no. 1; pp. 47 - 58
• Main Authors: Wu, Jy S., Allan, Craig J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg SP Higher Education Press 01.03.2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atmospheric models; Chemical oxygen demand; Component reliability; Dissolved solids; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Hydrologic data; Hydrology; Monitoring; Pollutants; Pollution load; Regression models; Research Article; Runoff; Sampling; Solid suspensions; Statistical analysis; Storm runoff; Total suspended solids; Traffic; USA, North Carolina; highway runoff; storm water permit; non-point source pollution; regression models; pollutant loads
• ISSN: 1673-7415; 2095-2201; 1673-7520; 2095-221X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11783-010-0003-x

Hydrology, roadway traffic conditions, and atmospheric deposition are three essential data categories for the planning and implementation of highway-runoff monitoring and characterization programs. Causal variables pertaining to each data category could be site specific but have been shown to correlate with runoff pollutant loads. These data categories were combined to derive statistical relationships for characterization and prioritization of the respective pollutant loads at highway runoff sites. Storm runoff data of total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solid (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) collected from three highway sites in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, were used to illustrate the development of site-specific highway-runoff pollutant loading models. This unified methodology provides a basis for initial assessment of the pollutant-constituent loads from highway runoff using hydrologic component variables. Improved reliability is achievable when additional traffic and/or atmospheric component variables are incorporated into the basic hydrologic regression model. In addition, operational guidance is suggested for implementing highway-runoff monitoring programs that are subject to sampling and resources constraints.