Soil Amendment for Stormwater Control

Key Question

Where and when is soil amendment most effective as a low-impact stormwater management practice?

Key Finding

Amending soil on as little as 1.5% of sloped yard near disconnected impervious features can reduce runoff by up to 17% when existing soil infiltration is low; this could be promoted as a LID alternative to rain gardens for some homeowners.

Status

This work is published.

Funding

• Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. The Hydrologic and Ecologic Effects of Green Infrastructure Within Urban Coastal Catchments. Project number: R/RCE-05. Lead PI: Steve Loheide. Voter role: co-author and graduate student researcher.
• Wisconsin Water Resources Institute. Effects of Nuanced Changes in Lot Layout and Impervious Area Connectivity on Urban Recharge. Project number: WR12R002. Lead PI: Steve Loheide. Voter role: graduate student researcher.
• North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research. Lead PI: Emily Stanley. Voter role: graduate student researcher.
• UW-Madison Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Weston Fellowship. Voter role: graduate fellow.

Lab Contributors