Analysis of LID Implementation to Combat Flooding and Erosion at the University of Arkansas Campus

The city of Fayetteville, Arkansas has experienced rapid urbanization throughout recent years as it continues to grow. Within the city, the University of Arkansas has been constantly expanding, with increased impervious surfaces as more parking lots and facilities are built. This has caused issues including flooding and stream bank erosion, specifically in Mullins Creek, which receives runoff from a large part of campus. A portion of the creek was restored, but there are still downstream issues. Low Impact Development (LID) is a type of green infrastructure that has been shown to decrease runoff and increase infiltration. EPA SWMM, a hydrologic modeling software, was used to analyze the effectiveness of implementing LID at Lot 56, adjacent to Mullins Creek. Two layouts were developed: the condensed layout with 5 bioretention cells, and the dispersed layout with 29 cells. The results for both layouts showed significant decrease in runoff and increase in infiltration. With the ideology of Volume Based Hydrology, it can be assumed that the decrease in runoff will also cause a decrease in pollutant loads, and a decrease in erosion and flooding downstream. The implementation of LID at Lot 56, combined with LID implementation throughout the drainage area, can be an effective way to combat downstream erosion and flooding issues at Mullins Creek