STC synthesis of research results for water quality management at construction sites : final report.

PDFTech ReportFHWA/LA.13/511LTRC Project Number: 12-5PFState Project Number: 30000543Water quality managementSedimentsWaterwaysConstruction sitesLiterature reviewsState departments of transportationErosion controlBest practicesTurbidityEnvironmental impactsUnited StatesLouisiana Transportation Research CenterAguilar, Alexander M.Sheffield, Richard H.Welch, Wilfred M.Thompson EngineeringUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationSoutheast Transportation ConsortiumUS Transportation CollectionThe United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists sediment as the most common pollutant in U.S. streams, rivers, lakes, andreservoirs. This is of significant importance to state Departments of Transportation (DOT) due to the large amount of construction necessary tomaintain and improve interstate and intrastate public roadways. As part of construction, soils are frequently exposed due to the removal ofvegetative cover. Unimpeded, sediment is transported to waters of the state, where deposition may cause a problem for aquatic organisms in thereceiving waterways. Sediment is known to disrupt fish populations and aquatic plants and promote the growth of nuisance algae. Sediment mayalso be a carrier for chemical contamination. In March 2012, Thompson Engineering contracted with the Louisiana Transportation ResearchCenter (LTRC) to perform a synthesis of research results on water quality management at construction sites within the SoutheasternTransportation Consortium member states. This report presents the results of the research. While states in the southeastern U.S. have performedresearch on the subject of erosion and sediment management, there is still a need to take a closer look at management practices that will improvewater quality at department of transportation construction sites. This report is an overview of recent research that has been performed or funded bystate level DOTs in the southeastern United States. The primary source of information for this report comes from literature obtained fromindividual DOT databases or the Transportation Research Board database. Additionally, a questionnaire was sent to 12 states located in thesoutheastern United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,Virginia, and West Virginia. The following nine states responded to the questionnaire Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Research that is ongoing is not included. Responses from the questionnaire indicatethat the DOTs are making an effort in managing erosion and sediment at construction sites. All responding states indicate that they havestormwater training or monitoring programs in place. Additionally, literature regarding erosion and sedimentation was found from most states. Awide variety of research has been performed throughout the southeastern United States. Topics ranging from vegetative cover to individual bestmanagement practice (BMP) design and performance assessments have been studied with varied results. In the case that water quality degradationis eminent, the mitigation process has also been studied. The most recent research available was collected from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Although DOTs are making efforts through researchand management programs, there is still a need to continue improving construction impacts on bodies of water. More research regarding specificBMPs, site planning, training programs and systematic approaches would greatly benefit the DOTs in the effort to control or eliminate sedimentloss at construction sites