ENV-652: CONVENTIONAL VS LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES

Low Impact Development (LID) Stormwater Management (SWM) techniques is the appropriate approach to be applied to site developments in an attempt to mimic a site’s natural hydrologic cycle to store and treat stormwater runoff close to where it falls. In 2014, the UTRCA conducted a survey of member municipalities to gauge a familiarity with SWM LIDs to help UTRCA effectively target their efforts regarding SWM LID during a development and planning process at the Municipal level. Several issues were highlighted from the survey results, including the presence of institutional, technical, and physical barriers, as well as a general lack of awareness and knowledge about LID. The survey helped UTRCA effectively target efforts on the implementation SWM LIDs in the watershed. The UTRCA initiated pilot projects in the watershed with the help of proponents. This paper discusses two case studies, implementing the new LID approach, a private condominium development in Ingersoll and a brownfield site in Chatham Ontario. Both projects were designed comparing conventional SWM and SWM LIDs from project inception and design to final implementation. The two projects are within the Thames River watershed which has been identified as one of the watersheds contributing to the Lake Erie Algae Bloom. The SWM LIDs in the Thames River watershed will reduce phosphorous loading of the Thames River and will improve the quality of runoff