Identifying the Current State of Stormwater Management and Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Public University Campuses in the Chesapeake Bay Region

Abstract

Stormwater runoff impacts, like urban flooding and water pollution, directly affect watershed hydrology and are exacerbated by rapid urbanization, climate change, and aging infrastructure. As a result, public entities in defined urban areas are required to mitigate and manage stormwater runoff through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program. Many entities are increasingly utilizing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) as a strategy to manage rainfall at the source through a nature-inspired approach. Stormwater management and the success of GSI are primarily studied on public land within municipalities but less is understood about the current state of stormwater management and GSI on public university campuses and the role universities play in regulatory compliance. To address this, we present data collected from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) report and a comprehensive review of stormwater management plans for four public universities in the Chesapeake Bay region. This research will lay the groundwork for additional interdisciplinary investigations of stormwater management and GSI on university campuses.

Rachel Zobel

PhD Candidate

Carolyn B. Voter

Assistant Professor