UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Kirk, Barton
Dept./Program:
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Year:
2006
Degree:
M.S.
Abstract:
As a result of heightened stormwater standards, increasingly intensive stormwater management is applied to increasingly smaller catchments and an increasing number of development activities. To achieve these higher standards a host of structural and nonstructural stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are being recommended and applied prescriptively, with little to no regard to their net (upstream and downstream) consequences. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology has been used to systematically evaluate the direct, indirect, and long-term, environmental and human health impacts of human activities, including recently, urban water systems. As such, LCA may provide a more complete quantification of the net or total environmental benefit of employing specific stormwater BMPs, or a clearer sense of what aspects of stormwater management are most effective.
Within this study LCA is used to compare multiple conventional and low-impact development (LID) BMPs under evaluation at a BMP performance verification center in New England including; a subsurface treatment and storage unit, retention (wet) pond, bioretention cell, and subsurface-flow gravel wetland. The life cycle inventory data from these evaluations are applied to site specific management scenarios using the US EPA TRACI assessment tool, and normalized and weighted according to US EPA values to demonstrate how LCA data can be used for stormwater design and management decision-making. This pioneering study provides key methodological and informational building-blocks for future stormwater life-cycle studies.
The assessment results indicate the gravel wetland as the most consistently superior BMP; however, none of the four BMPs distinguished themselves as superior across all environmental and economic impact categories; thus, some form of subjective valuation is necessary to rank or choose among the systems. Several concerns with the US EPA impact assessment and valuation method are raised and steps to improve the LCA methodology for practical use in stormwater are recommended.
Within this study LCA is used to compare multiple conventional and low-impact development (LID) BMPs under evaluation at a BMP performance verification center in New England including; a subsurface treatment and storage unit, retention (wet) pond, bioretention cell, and subsurface-flow gravel wetland. The life cycle inventory data from these evaluations are applied to site specific management scenarios using the US EPA TRACI assessment tool, and normalized and weighted according to US EPA values to demonstrate how LCA data can be used for stormwater design and management decision-making. This pioneering study provides key methodological and informational building-blocks for future stormwater life-cycle studies.
The assessment results indicate the gravel wetland as the most consistently superior BMP; however, none of the four BMPs distinguished themselves as superior across all environmental and economic impact categories; thus, some form of subjective valuation is necessary to rank or choose among the systems. Several concerns with the US EPA impact assessment and valuation method are raised and steps to improve the LCA methodology for practical use in stormwater are recommended.