University Park Campus Stormwater Presentation

Transcription

1 University Park Campus Stormwater Presentation OPP Stormwater Management Training and Education Series

2 The University has a holistic approach to stormwater and wastewater management, as well as potable source water protection The following presentation will focus on the University's water resource efforts of continual improvement for a sustainable strategy

3 From a stormwater management perspective, the University promotes foremost the use of conservation design practices that preserve and use natural critical hydrologic areas, but it does have structural BMPs too

4 The University holds dozens of water quality permits for each of its systems in 5 of the major state basins, including 11 small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permits CAMPUS LOCATIONS WITH PSU OWNED WATER SUPPLIES CAMPUS LOCATIONS CAMPUS LOCATIONS WITH MS4 PERMITS CAMPUS LOCATIONS WITH PSU OWNED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED

5 The University Park stormwater collection system includes over 73 miles of storm drains ranging in size from 6 to 72 in diameter

6 At University Park, the University has about 460 acres of imperviousness in the main campus area

7 However, not all imperviousness creates surface runoff. For example, Old Main, and several other buildings have always drained directly to drywells and or cisterns. Old Main and Old Main Bell

8 At University Park, the University has its own wastewater treatment plant that was first constructed in 1913 Penn State Wastewater Treatment Plant in the 1970 s

9 The wastewater treatment plant includes a land treatment area (606 acres), which has discharged no effluent to surface waters for the last three decades, known as the living filter

10 At University Park, the University is its own potable water purveyor, supplying over one billion gallons annually to its customers Nittany Lion in front of Old Main

11 The University is committed to the wise stewardship of our water resources Since 2004, OPP has instituted a program to further reduce energy and potable water consumptive use on campus. For example, in fiscal year 2007/08, the program saw an annual reduction of 33.4 million gallons

12 The University has identified potential reuse customers and installs reuse pipe (purple pipe) at new projects for future use as another way to conserve its potable water Katz Law School Building under construction

13 The University Park Campus is divided between the Big Hollow and Thompson Run/Slab Cabin watersheds, which are significantly different from a hydrologic perspective Big Hollow (an under drained valley with no perennial or intermittent surface streams)

14 The University Park Campus is divided between the Big Hollow and Thompson Run/Slab Cabin watersheds, which are significantly different from a hydrologic perspective Spring Creek Slab Cabin Thompson Run Walnut Run (artesian spring fed perennial streams that are perched above the groundwater)

15 The University uses these hydrologic characteristics for the control and treatment of the entire water resources system On this side runoff rates and volumes almost always decrease going down stream

16 The University uses these hydrologic characteristics for the control and treatment of the entire water resources system On this side runoff rates and volumes almost always increase going down stream

17 The University uses these hydrologic characteristics for the control and treatment of the entire water resources system Big Hollow Well Field (softer water) Houserville Well Field (harder water) The University pumps ground water from its two well fields

18 The University uses these hydrologic characteristics for the control and treatment of the entire water resources system Wastewater Treatment Plant Wastewater is sent to the University s treatment plant where it is properly treated

19 The University uses these hydrologic characteristics for the control and treatment of the entire water resources system After treatment, the secondary effluent is sprayed at the living filter sites in the Big Hollow where 90% is recharged

20 Most of the University s developed land areas are within four major drainage basins, which are managed differently based on the local soils, geology, and stream classification Qp = Regional Peak Runoff Control Vol = Regional Runoff Volume Control WQ = Regional Water Quality Control Qp Vol WQ Qp Vol WQ Mostly treated at Duck Pond and Millbrook Marsh Qp WQ

21 These four watersheds have a combined area of 1,265 acres, of which approximately 871 acres (69%) are controlled by a stormwater management facility (not even including the Duck Pond or Millbrook Marsh) Fox Hollow Filtration Area

22 OPP has also instituted an extensive surface water monitoring project with over 50 permanent gages, which collect continuous data at 5 to 15 minute intervals

23 Data and studies can be found on the University s website at:

24 The University has established a Water Resources Preservation land use classification (blue shaded areas below) for approximately 455 acres of its land at University Park

25 Recharge areas are aggressively protected. The Mitchell Tract recharge area, now located within the Arboretum, fully infiltrates a 100-year runoff event and consists of two closed depressions, one natural and one artificial. Mitchell Tract Closed Depressions seen from roof of the Katz Law School Building

26 Several hundred million gallons annually of off-site surface runoff drain into the University s protected area of the Big Hollow where its recharged Fox Hollow Recharge Area From a stormwater management perspective, the University promotes foremost the use of conservation design practices that preserve and use natural critical hydrologic areas However, the University still has numerous structural BMPs

27 Because the entire University Park Campus is underlain by carbonate geology, sinkholes are an operational way of life; however, the University is sensitive to practices that make them occur more often. Excavation under the Katz Law School Building

28 Sinkholes cause significant risk to the health and safety of the University s population, such as this one located directly outside the doors to the Forum Educational Building. Southwestern Entrance of the Forum Building

29 Therefore, at University Park, the artificial injection of surface runoff into subsoil is not used or promoted by the University and recharge areas are kept away from infrastructure due to the carbonate geology Curtin Road at the Pavilion Theater

30 At University Park, most of the storm system is very good; however, there are a few problem areas that will be very difficult to fix Nittany Apartments at Bigler Road

31 The University uses hydrologic models calibrated with gage data in order to protect and improve the watersheds

32 Several older stormwater facilities, such as the Foods Pond below, have been retrofit to significantly improve their performance Watershed = 87 acres Post Pre Original Modified Elevation Discharge Discharge (ft) (cfs) (cfs)

33 Many stormwater facilities have duel uses and are very complex from a hydraulic perspective Softball Pond Football Parking Area

34 The University likes simple BMPs with a low risk of failure, or if they do fail, that they don t imperial other infrastructure OPP Parking Lot BMP

35 The University owns six regulatory dams located in three different counties of the Commonwealth Bathgate Dam

36 Lake Perez, at Shavers Creek, is the largest University owned dam and is currently undergoing improvements Lake Perez at the Emergency Spillway

37 Four of the dams were specifically constructed for stormwater management purposes Airport 1A Bathgate Airport 4A Hershey-No 1

38 The duck pond, located near the Centre furnace, is actually a Class C-3 Dam permitted in 1927 that was designed by Dr. Sackett Duck Pond Ogee Spillway

39 The University currently has 24 surface stormwater management ponds that actually have other positive effects such as acting like infiltration ponds even though they weren t specifically designed as such Parking Lot 43 Pond

40 The University owns 32 subsurface detention facilities to reduce peak runoff rates and filter trash Horse Barn Subsurface Facility

41 The largest subsurface detention facility has a storage capacity of 3.2 ac-ft and was built in conjunction with the Pegula Ice Rink Bigler Field Subsurface Facility

42 The University has numerous facilities (structural and nonstructural) to protect surface water quality such as this 15,000 gallon oil/water separator Fleet O/W Separator

43 The University also has numerous hydrodynamic type structures such as these two CDS units shown being installed Fox Hollow CDS Units

44 These types of facilities require a lot of maintenance and regular inspections

45 The University has numerous bioswales throughout campus, some are lined like this one, which was built inside the foundation of an old building basement Grad Circle Bioswale B

46 And some are unlined like this one. Unlined facilities are constructed where the University believes there is a low risk associated with their construction. Ramp D Bioswale

47 The University has major controls, but still uses small site control facilities with each new project Fox Hollow Filtration Area

48 Numerous recharge facilities are being designed on the low head weir concept, a method pioneered at the University, which mimics natural closed depression functions Orchard Road/Park Ave Low Head Weir

49 The University has almost three (3) acres of green roofs on its buildings. One of the more interesting (and sloped) roofs can be seen on the Katz Building. Katz Law School Building Roof

50 The University has several rainwater harvesting systems, two of which are used to flush toilets, but the operational challenges are extensive Millennium Science Complex Building

51 The University has large areas of porous parking areas such as this area, which has sustained over three inches of rainfall during use with no rutting Beaver Stadium North Parking Lot

52 Porous asphalt pavement is prohibited at the University Park Campus due to two parking lot failures; however, its use is still permitted at Commonwealth Campus locations Red A parking lot s first sinkhole

53 The University owns Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, operated by Centre Region Parks & Recreation. The 50-acre wetland area also hosts a Conservation Easement with ClearWater Conservancy of Central PA. Millbrook Marsh, 1938 Millbrook Marsh, 2005

54 The University fosters an environment where demonstration type projects can prove their worth, such as the Slab Cabin cross vane project Millbrook Marsh cross vane

55 The University installed a floating trash rack above the Duck Pond to take floating debris out of the stream Duck Pond inflow channel trash rack

56 The University fosters practical research so students can be close to facilities, such as the student designed vegetable cellar research green roof

57 The University also conducts research on its own property to make sure it makes the best decisions regarding proper stormwater management

58 "It is likely that water quality in Spring Creek is better now than it has been since 1900

59 We all need to do our part Courtesy of Chelsea Graper

60 OPP Stormwater Management Training and Education Series Thanks for taking the time to view this presentation If you would like additional information or have questions, comments, or suggestions, contact Larry Fennessey, the University s stormwater operations engineer, at (814) , or laf8@psu.edu