Bioretention Basin Design for Parkway Drive Anna Mostovetsky, Satoshi Hirabayashi and Dr. T. Endreny

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Bioretention Basin Design for Parkway DriveAnna
Mostovetsky, Satoshi Hirabayashi and Dr. T.
Endreny. FEG 340 Engineering Hydrology and
Hydraulics, SUNY College of Environmental Science
and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210.
Equations Used S 2540 25 Pe (P-.2S)2
Vr APe CN P.8S

• Design Goal
• The goal of this design is to build a
  bioretention device that decreases non-point
  source pollution resulting from storm water
  runoff. Combined sewer overflows are a major
  problem in the Onondaga Creek watershed. After
  large storm events, most of the storm runoff goes
  to the METRO wastewater treatment plant, but a
  large percentage of this water ends up flowing
  into Onondaga creek and loading it with
  pollutants of various sorts. There are several
  strategies and responses that are being
  undertaken to deal with this issue. Bioretention
  basins, buffer zones, swales and porous pavement
  are a few of the techniques that increase
  infiltration and reduce runoff of contaminated
  water. A bioretention device has the capability
  to improve water quality and transform the
  environment that encompasses Onondaga Creek into
  one that is healthy and clean.

• Location Characteristics
• Corner of Parkway Drive and Temple Place
• Paved road with curbs and storm sewers

Design Findings
Table 1 Results for basin design.
Figure 2 Site map (NYS Interactive Mapping
Gateway).
Design Alternatives Design 1 Bioretention plot
with sandy loam soil. Varying vegetation will
cover the basin to maximize the amount of organic
material that can treat the storm water. The
basin will be rectangular Design 2 Trapezoidal
swale with sandy soil and some grass cover
resembling that of lawns. The plot will replace a
portion of the sidewalk. Design 3 Rectangular
bioretention plot with loamy sand and grass cover
on 100 of the area. Several tree species and
shrubs will cover the area. Chosen Design
Design 3
Design Conclusion The bioretention facility for
Parkway Drive has the capability to reduce runoff
and pollutant loading in Onondaga Creek. If a
loamy sand soil is used the infiltration rates
will be maximized and the soil can be utilized
for growing plant species. The under-drain will
also help assure less surface runoff. If a 6inch
diameter pipe is used, the expenses of setting it
up will be relatively low and it will be
sufficient in capturing and distributing the
runoff. Though this is a relatively small area in
regard to the entire Onondaga Creek watershed, if
more bioretention basins are implemented
throughout the city, non-point source pollution
could decline drastically.
Figure 1 Onondaga Creek after storm event.

• Design Constraints
• The site can have a bioretention device no larger
  than 6m in width.
• 2. The retention device must capture the
  stormwater volume generated by a 24-hr duration
  2-yr recurrence interval storm.
• 3. The rainfall depth is 6.8 cm.
• 4. The ponding depth is 15-cm, and water must be
  infiltrated every 6 hours to reset the depth.
• 5. The stormsewer must have the bioretention
  under-drain tied into it.
• 6. The basin must have a certain assemblage of
  microbes and plants.
• 7. The area of the basin can be no larger than 5
  of watershed area.

References Wurbs James, 2002. Water Resources
Engineering, New Jersey, Prentice Hall.
Endreny, Theodore Ph.D. FEG 340 Hydrology and
Hydraulics Class notes. SUNY College of
Environmental Science and Forestry. Spring
2007. U.S. EPA. Storm Water Technology Fact
Sheet, Bioretention. Office of Water, Washington
D.C. http//www.epa.gov/OW-OWM.html/mtb/biortn.pdf
Figure 3 Example of bioretention design
(www.epa.gov)