Greening the Hill: Analyzing UNC’s Battle Grove Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance System (2023)
Undergraduates: Anna Coley, Sophia Sload, Hanna Berger, Brooke Kongmany, Claudia Sandoval, Brenda Palacios Rodriguez, Sarah Dean
Faculty Advisor: Antonia Sebastian
Department: E3P
Among areas with increased urbanization, there are greater amounts of impervious surfaces that prevent stormwater from absorbing into soil, replenishing aquifers, or flowing into streams and rivers. This increased water flow can result in flooding, erosion, and infrastructure damage as well as excess stormwater run-off transferring pollutants into streams. A variety of stormwater control measures can be implemented to aid in solving water quality and quantity issues. We chose the site of Battle Grove Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance (RSC) located on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s campus to study the impacts of stormwater control measures in urban locations. The site includes five step pools that slow water flow brought in from a daylighted tributary of Battle Branch Stream that empties into a pipe connected to Battle Park creeks. To assess the effectiveness of stormwater control measures, we collected water quality, quantity, and flow data from five points in and around the Battle Grove RSC as well as from other creeks in Chapel Hill. Significant findings after analysis of baseflow and post-storm data revealed a decrease in nutrient levels through the RSC as well as varying temperature and dissolved oxygen through the RSC system. In addition, nutrient levels were significantly lower in the creek following the RSC compared to other creeks in Chapel Hill. Our findings imply that the Battle Grove RSC system is improving water quality that is sustained in downstream sites, and that RSC should be applied in other areas with potential urban runoff issues.
Link to Poster